Recently we have got the opportunity to drive the upcoming Tata Nexon EV and this electric car has greatly influenced its performance, range and handling, features etc. But will the Tata Nexon EV survive amid the increasing competition for electric cars in the Indian market? Let’s know
Tata Nexon EV Design and style
The design of the Tata Nexon EV is inspired by the upcoming facelift version of its standard model. Its exciter and interior have been updated. Updates and changes to Nexon are not common. The front side of the Tata Nexon EV has been given a completely new look, which gives a sporty and premium feel to the first. The interior of this electric SUV has also been updated, which makes the Nexon sporty.
Talking about the front of Tata Nexon EV, it has been given a new look. Its new headlamps look thinner and sharper than before and the projector headlamps come together. Even though LED projectors have not been installed, the visibility of the halogen headlamps is better than the older models. The LED DRL of the Tata Nexon EV has also been updated and added to the main headlamp cluster. The DRL is placed in an X-shape which gives it an aggressive design.
The fog lamp housing in its front part has also been updated. The front bumper has already been brought with a large air dam, which is placed in the lower middle, with the company naming it ‘Electric Blue’.
This ‘electric blue’ accent can be seen under the piano black slats on the front, it is also seen on the side and rear of the Nexon EV. The front bonnet is already flat, giving a larger SUV-like feel than the older model.
No major changes have been made to the side portion of the Tata Nexon EV. The ‘electric blue’ accent is also seen in the side of the car, it is placed under the window.
The new Tata Nexon EV gets EV badging at the front doors. Tata Motors may have brought the Nexon EV with a new 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheel, which adds to the premium feel of the SUV.
The rear portion of the Tata Nexon EV is also kept the same as the old model, only the usual changes and updates have been made. The biggest change in the new Nexon that catches your attention is its updated taillight and electric blue accent.
Talking about other updates, a badge of ‘N E X O N’ has been placed in the middle of the boot lid, which reminds of Ultrose and Harrier. Both SUVs and EVTs have to badge in both parts of this SUV.
Tata Nexon EV Interior & Practicality
Talking about the interior of the Tata Nexon EV, its cabin has been updated. The steering wheel of the Nexon EV is wrapped in leather, it has audio control and call functions.
Behind the steering wheel is a semi-digital instrument cluster, with digital display and analogue speedometer. This digital display is similar to the Ultros, although the Nexon EV also gets a lot of other information. It includes many functions such as battery position, tachometer, distance to empty (range), battery percentage, regenerative braking usage.
Talking about the cockpit, the car has a central console. The Tata Nexon EV features a seven-inch allotting touchscreen infotainment display that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has the brand’s connected technology, which provides 35 additional features, it is connected to the smartphone through the app.
The central console houses the AC vent below the infotainment system, which is surrounded by electric blue accents. Its dashboard has dual-tone colour, black at the top and beige at the bottom and piano black is placed in the middle.
Its dashboard uses soft-touch material, which gives it a premium look and feels. The climate control setting is placed below the central console, it can be controlled with rotary knobs and buttons.
Apart from this, the Tata Nexon EV has a USB port and 12 vault charging socket, which is kept in reach. There is also a lot of space in its central console. Tata Nexon EV has a spherical dial to convert to R, N, D and S.
The car we drove had a fabric upholstery on the seat. Tata Motors has used the leather seat in the top-spec variant. Its seats are comfortable and provide good cushioning.
The driver and front passenger seats are manually adjustable, we could have opted for an electronically controlled seat at least for the driver seat. Both the seats, however, slip easily, due to which there is no problem in finding the right seating position. Tilt steering and a comfortable driver-seat provide a comfortable driving experience (note that the steering wheel is only available with tilt adjustment, not telescopic).
Talking about the rear seats of Tata Nexon EV, it is very luxurious and has excellent cushioning. It has adequate head and knee room and under Thai sport is also good.
The floor has no bulge in the middle, due to which three passengers can sit for a short journey. The rear seats have a central armrest, which further increases comfort for the rear passengers.
Talking about the practicality, the Tata Nexon EV has a lot of storage space. It has a large glovebox, four doors, central console and storage space at the back of the front seats. The boot capacity of the Nexon EV is 350 litres, which can be further increased by having the rear seats in 60:40 ratio.
Length (mm) | 3994 |
Width (mm) | 1811 |
Height (mm) | 1607 |
Wheelbase (mm) | 2498 |
Ground Clearance (mm) | 205 |
Boot Space (litres) | 350 |
Tata Nexon EV Variants, Key Features & Safety Equipment
Tata Nexon EV will be made available in three variants XM, XZ + and XZ + Lux. There are a lot of features and equipment in all the three variants of Nexon EV, including safety equipment.
Some of the main features of Tata Nexon EV are:
- Keyless Entry Push Button With Start / Stop
- Multiple driving modes
- Electric tailgate opener
- Automatic climate control
- The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Connected car technology
- 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheel
- Electric sunroof
- Automatic headlamp
- Leather seat
- Automatic rain wiper
Some of the main safety features of Tata Nexon EV are:
- Dual airbags
- Airbag with bed
- Hill Ascent Control
- Hill descent control
- Reverse parking camera with guideline
- Seat belt reminder
- High-speed warning alert
- Pedestrian Protection
Driving experience and performance
Tata Motors has worked hard to bring such an effective electric SUV to India and this reflects in its range. The Tata Nexon EV is powered by the brand new ‘Ziptron’ engine, a 95 kW electric motor and a 30.2 kW lithium-ion battery. It provides the power of 128 bhp and maximum torque of 245-newton meters.
Tata Motors claims that the Nexon EV can achieve 0 – 100 km / h in just 9.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 122 km / h. The Nexon EV offers a range of 312 km in ARAI certified single charge. However, in reality, the driving range of this electric SUV is between 275 – 290 km.
The Nexon EV will feature a home-charging system, which takes 8 hours to fully charge. Along with this, there is also the option of fast charging, which charges 20 to 80 per cent in just one hour.
Now we all know about the technical specification, let us know how it is running.
Tata Nexon EV acceleration delivers power immediately upon pressing the pedals. Being an electric SUV, torque is available immediately and there is a big increase in power.
The Tata Nexon EV has two driving modes Normal and Sport and the difference between the two is easily understood. In normal mode, acceleration makes less noise and the power comes slowly. In Sport mode, power and torque are instantly available. Tata Motors has done a tremendous job in power delivery cases on Nexon EV.
This electric SUV has a lithium-ion pack (the topmost part of the car) placed under the cabin. This has helped the Nexon EV’s Center of Gravity to be 40 mm shorter than the standard model. Its ground clearance has been reduced from 209 mm to 205 mm. However, it is still effective as compared to competitors.
Its lithium-ion battery pack is covered with a steel IP-67 certified case. Tata Motors has done a lot of crash and penalty tests to ensure that its battery is safe and there is no risk to passengers.
Talking about the handling of the Tata Nexon EV, it has very precise and fast steering. This steering wheel responds well, especially at high speeds on highways. In the city, Yehs Tiang feels lighter, allowing one to bend easily in traffic.
The braking of this electric SUV is excellent, it has disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear. The regenerative braking system is standard in the Nexon EV.
The NVH level of the Tata Nexon EV is effective. Due to its tire, there is a little sound, apart from that no other sound is made. Tata Motors has also worked to keep the electric motor’s heat down, which affects it immensely.
Electric Motor | 3-Phase Permanent Magnet |
Battery | 30.2kWh Lithium-ion |
Power (bhp) | 128 |
Torque (Nm) | 245 |
Transmission | Automatic |
Range (km) | 312 |
0-100km/h | 9.9 seconds (Claimed) |
Tata Nexon EV Price, Color and Availability
The Tata Nexon EV is made available in three colour options Teal Blue, Glacier White and Moonlit Silver. Tata Motors has not announced the price of Nexon EV, although the company has already announced that its price is going to be between 15 to 17 lakh rupees (ex-showroom).
After the Tata Nexon EV is launched in India, it will be made available across the country. Charging stations have been established in all major cities of India, the complete information of which is available on the company’s website.
Competition and facts
The Tata Nexon EV is one of the first electric compact SUVs in India. The Nexon EV currently has no competitor in this segment, although in the EV segment this SUV competes with the Hyundai Kona EV and the upcoming MG ZS EV.
Model/Specifications | Nexon EV | MG ZS EV |
Electric Motor | 3-Phase Permanent Magnet | 3-Phase Permanent Magnet |
Battery | 30.2kWh Li-ion | 44.5kWh Li-ion |
Power (bhp) | 128 | 141 |
Torque (Nm) | 245 | 353 |
Price (estimated) | Rs 15 – 17 Lakh | Rs 20 – 25 Lakh |
Thoughts
The Tata Nexon EV is not the company’s first electric car in the Indian market. The company is already selling electric cars. However, the Nexon EV has been introduced with the brand new Ziptron technology. It is very effective and makes driving even more fun.
The Tata Nexon EV is designed primarily as a city SUV, not to drive on the highway. This electric SUV performs very well, it has a lot of features and also affects its range.