A latching assembly for a side door of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The motor vehicle includes an electrical system and an electric power source. The side door includes a pawl which is used in the unlatching of the side door. The latching assembly includes a housing that is fixedly secured to the side door for securing the latch assembly thereto. The latching assembly also includes a primary motor fixedly secured to the housing and electrically connected to the electrical power source through the electrical system to receive electricity from the electric power source. The primary motor converts the electricity into a rotational force. The latching assembly also includes a lever that is operatively connected to the primary motor to receive the rotational force and to translate the rotational force into a linear force to move the pawl to an unlatched position. The latching assembly includes a battery which is fixedly secured to the housing and a secondary motor which is fixedly to the housing and electrically connected to the battery. The secondary motor provides a secondary force to move the pawl to the unlatched position when the primary motor is disconnected from the electric power source.