The fully-electric Nexon will likely be unveiled on December 16 but will be only be launched early next year
Even though Tata Motors recently announced the public launch of its extended range Tigor EV, which was earlier only available for the Government and fleet purposes, the Nexon EV has to be one of Tata’s most highly-anticipated fully-electric vehicles yet.
All the spied test mules of the upcoming Nexon EV have suggested that Tata is rigorously testing the car at different terrains and altitudes. The manufacturer earlier claimed that the Tata’s Ziptron technology, which will power Tata’s upcoming EVs, has been made keeping in mind India’s harsh climate and will not compromise on driving range, or performance. Tata also said that the said powertrain has been tested for over a million km.
The Indian manufacturer had also roped in the celebrity couple Milind Soman and Ankita Konwa, who were the first to drive the Nexon EV, from Manali to Leh. The specific route was chosen to test the EV’s real-life capabilities in extreme climatic conditions along with limited charging infrastructure.
Mechanical specifications of the EV are yet to be disclosed, but we do know that the car will be powered by an IP67 rated dust and waterproof battery pack, with a range of around 300 km. Additionally, an 8-year warranty will be provided with the battery pack and motor as standard.
The Nexon EV will likely be based on the upcoming Nexon facelift, which has also been spied testing on different occasions. The upcoming facelift of the sub-compact SUV will see some new changes in the form of a redesigned front fascia including new sleeker headlamps, cruise control, a colour MID etc. The existing 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel powertrains will also likely be updated to meet stricter BS6-compliance norms.
The upcoming Nexon EV will be priced between Rs 15 lakh to Rs 17 lakh, which will make it the most affordable fully-electric SUV available in India. Upon launch, the car will have no direct rival but Mahindra is in the works of developing a fully-electric version of the XUV300, which will be launched later, in 2021.