The Tata Nexon EV is currently the best-selling electric car in the Indian market, and is also one of the most value-for-money EVs in the country
The ongoing and rising global transition from ICE vehicles to EVs has resulted in a range of electric cars being launched in the Indian market in the past few years. However, India is still far behind in terms of EV infrastructure. Nonetheless, people are slowly and steadily started accepting EVs as a replacement for ICE cars, and the Tata Nexon EV leads this transition.
Launched back in January 2020, the Nexon EV quickly gained popularity, and is currently the best-selling electric car in the country. While the Nexon EV seems to tick all the boxes, there are also some reasons we suggest against going for it. Here is a list of the top 5 things we love about the Tata Nexon EV, and the 5 things we don’t, take a look –
Good: Design
The ICE Tata Nexon has been highly praised for its design, especially since it received a mid-life facelift last year. Hence, the Nexon EV, also based on the Nexon facelift, deserves the same praise. The best part of the Nexon EV’s design is how similar it is to the internal combustion Nexon.
Apart from blue accents here and there as well as the EV badging, the Nexon EV looks identical to the standard Nexon. Unlike other EVs based on ICE cars, the Nexon EV gets the same front fascia as the regular Nexon, as well as the same alloy wheels.
Bad: Real-World Range
The Nexon EV is the first car to make use of Tata’s Ziptron EV technology. It has been plonked with an IP67 rated 30.2 kWh lithium-ion battery, which is paired to a 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. The car has an ARAI certified range of 312 km on a single full charge.
However, the real-world range of the Nexon EV has been reported by users to be anywhere between 190 to 250 km on a single full-charge, depending on usage. Other users have reported the range to be even lesser, and for the same reason, Delhi government had suspended its subsidy on the Tata Nexon EV last month. This also means that until the EV infrastructure in the country is fully developed, the Nexon EV is best driven in the city.
Good: Feature-loaded
Just like its ICE version, the Nexon EV has been packed up to the brim with features. Its equipment list includes an electric sunroof, ZConnect app with 35 connected-car features, 7-inch TFT digital instrument cluster, projector headlamps with LED DRLs, 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, an 8-speaker system by Harman, a 7-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, cooled, multi-drive modes and illuminated glove box and much more.
Bad: Slow Charging
The Tata Nexon EV can be charged from 0 to 80 per cent in just 60 minutes with the help of a fast charger. However, the 3.3 kWh portable charger that can be used with any 15 ampere AC charging socket will charge the Nexon EV’s battery from 10 per cent to 90 per cent in around 8.5 hours, as claimed by the automaker. This also means that the Nexon EV would take around 10 hours to fully charge from a zero per cent initial charge.
Good: Performance
The Nexon’s electric motor puts out 129 PS of maximum power, along with 245 Nm of peak torque. The car can sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in just 9.9 seconds, while 0 – 60 kmph comes up in just 4.6 seconds! The instant torque delivery makes the Tata Nexon EV fun to drive. Also, the 205 mm ground clearance is more than adequate to be driven on bad roads.
Bad: Wheel-Spin
Due to the instant torque delivery of the electric motor, the Nexon EV has an insane level of wheel-spin, which means that you have to be careful with the throttle input in order to increase the life of the rubber. The wheel-spin can also scare your passengers as well as pedestrians, since the car barely produces any other sound, amplifying the screeching sound of the tyres.
Good: Safety Rating
The ICE Tata Nexon is a well-built car, and the sub-4m SUV received a 5-star rating in the Global NCAP crash tests. While the Nexon EV hasn’t been tested by the organisation, it’s built on the same platform and uses the same body panels.
Bad: Missing Safety Tech
It should be noted that the Tata Nexon EV misses out on some crucial safety features like ESP and traction control, both of which are available on the ICE version. These features should’ve been offered with the Nexon EV, since they would also prevent the wheels from spinning every time you push the accelerator too hard.
Good: Most Affordable Electric SUV
The Tata Nexon EV is currently available in three different variants, namely XM, XZ Plus and XZ Plus Lux, priced at Rs 13.99 lakh, Rs 15.39 lakh and Rs 16.39 lakh (ex-showroom). This makes it the most affordable electric SUV in the Indian market. The entry-level Nexon EV XM is also just Rs 1.2 lakh more expensive than the range-topping diesel variant of the ICE Tata Nexon.
Bad: Restricted Top Speed
The top speed of the Tata Nexon EV has been restricted to 120 kmph, and while this is more than enough for city driving, it is a little too shy for the highways. The restricted top speed is also a shame considering the Nexon EV’s 0 to 100 kmph sprint time of under 10 seconds.