Tata Nexon EV
Tata is all set to enter the 'desirable' electric car market with one of its most popular cars. Is the Nexon EV the electric car we've all been waiting for?
WE ARE NOT TARGETING FLEET owners," said Shailesh Chandra, president of Tata Motors' electric mobility business. "The Nexon EV will stand out from the rest as a premium product; the one that appeals to your heart,” he added, when we sat down for a quick chat about Tata Motors' latest electric upshot – the Nexon EV. The Nexon has been doing relatively well for Tata Motors, exceeding the carmaker's expectations by a fair margin. It doesn't really come as a surprise as SUVs in India are a rage and recent electric car launches, which include the Hyundai Kona Electric and the MG ZS EV, justify the hype. And so, Tata Motors has decided to plonk a battery under the hood of its first compact SUV. The Tigor EV opened the floodgates for Tata, thanks to its low running cost and of course, the sticker price. With the Nexon EV though, Tata Motors has gone all out in terms of the battery package and features. It has the right ingredients to be the go-to electric car for the masses and enthusiasts at the same time.
Evolution
This is a facelift that debuted in EV iteration and will be carried over to the ICE-powered Nexons. The only excusive element for the EV is the new teal colour. And that's about it. But if it ain't broke, don't fix it they say, and they're not wrong. The Nexon already looked handsome and thanks to the slightly tweaked bumpers and a single-slat grille, it looks even better. A similar story continues on the inside. The dashboard layout remains the same although the cluster has been revamped with a neater layout. The touchscreen has been picked up from Altroz' parts bin and so is the flat-bottom steering wheel. The top-of-the-line XZ+ Lux variant also gets a sunroof along with leather seats. The USB port is still difficult to reach though and the seats are still too high, even in the lowest setting.
Gone with the wind
Slot it into S (S for Sport), step on the accelerator and you'll forget about the niggles. The 30.2kWh battery is hooked up to a motor that generates a healthy 127bhp and 245Nm, which can propel the Nexon EV to 100kmph in 9.9sec, claims Tata Motors. That is more than 2sec quicker than its diesel counterpart despite tipping the scales at 1400kg (heavier by 95kg). The throttle response feels natural and so does the regenerative braking system. I was expecting the regen to not work as smoothly as it did, like in several other electric vehicles that I have driven so far, but Tata needs to be lauded here. You cannot customise the regen settings yet but Tata will be updating the system in the near future to bring in the option. I digress. The acceleration is linear as expected and the Nexon EV pulls cleanly to 120kmph. The top speed is limited to 120kmph, to keep the range in check. The instant torque hits the tyres more than it hits you as they struggle to keep up in the corners. Even in a straight line on wet surfaces, the tyres couldn't keep up and there was some drama in a few situations during our drive. If you slap on wider and stickier rubber, the Nexon will become a hoot to drive. Maybe even on a racetrack like MMRT, where top speed isn't really a concern.
The ride and handling had me impressed way back in 2017. To cater to the additional weight, Tata has tweaked the suspension on the EV. The ride in our car felt stiffer than on the diesel and the R&D guys said it'll be softened when the car goes into production. Despite being stiffer, the suspension felt pliant enough for the potholes and capable enough to hit the trails (it is an SUV after all). The steering is lighter though for more ‘comfort' in city conditions but it's direct nevertheless and works the way you'd want it to. What has changed drastically is the handling. Thanks to a 50:50 weight distribution and lower centre of gravity, the Nexon is now supremely stable in corners and doesn't throw its weight around. Body roll is well controlled and so is understeer. You will never feel you're driving a car that sits 205mm above the ground.
Battery bit
The ARAI-certified range is 312km and we expect the Nexon EV to do about 240-260km in real world conditions. That might not sound like much but if you're planning to stick to the city and head out on the weekends for
Thanks to a 50:50 weight distribution, the Nexon EV is supremely stable in corners
a one-day trip, it will suffice. Tata Power is being brought into the game with dedicated fast-charging outlets, starting with five cities – Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi. That will make it easier to charge the Nexon on a day-to-day basis. With a DC fast charger, you can charge it up to 80 per cent in 60min. On a regular 15A plug, it takes eight hours to top it up from 20 per cent.
There are a tonnes of other features too, including geo-fencing, valet mode (geo-fences to 1km), service alerts and a lot more.
Next level?
The prices haven't been announced yet but we expect the Nexon EV to start at `15 lakh, going up to `17 lakh for the fully-loaded variant. Now that isn't really affordable when compared to ICE-powered cars. In fact, that puts it in the vicinity of the soon-to-be-launched MG ZS EV (expected to be priced between `18-20 lakh) but the Nexon EV has the advantage of Tata Motors' wider dealer network and Tata Power's charging station support.
Don't forget the Nexon EV puts Tata Motors ahead of the curve as Maruti Suzuki hasn't launched any EVs yet and the Kona Electric is quite expensive and feels cramped compared to the Nexon. Tata is not expecting to bring in numbers with the Nexon but rather to tell the world what they are capable of. The Nexon EV with its excellent performance and sorted driving dynamics is a great platform to begin with, setting the stage for the soon-to-belaunched Altroz EV. ⌧