The Tata Nexon EV could possibly be the watershed product for the electronic mobility segment in India. It is an exciting new offering, with capabilities that put to rest a lot of questions that surround the efficacy and utility of full electric vehicles in India. The first drive was an eye-opener and as this vehicle hits the streets, you will be able to judge for yourself the magic that has been put into the Nexon EV to make it one of the best offerings for those who are looking at going electric.
Power and Performance
The Nexon EV comes packed with a 30.2kWh battery, generating 129 PS of power through a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor, delivering a flat torque curve of 245Nm. The motor is mated to a single speed transmission giving it a seamless drive experience. Going from 0-100 in 9.9 seconds flat, this is an extremely fun vehicle to drive as well.
Driving the Nexon EV, you will be pleasantly surprised by the fact that the transmission is smooth and productive. Overtaking is effortless with the flat torque curve, and since it is a single speed transmission, there is no loss in power or torque due to gear changes that accompany regular automatics.
Design and Specs
The Nexon EV retains a lot of design cues from the internal combustion variant. The size, interior seating capacity and handling of the vehicle remain spot on. At the same time, Tata design team has excelled themselves with the re-design on the front end, giving the car a more muscular stance. If you liked the grill on the petrol/diesel variants, you are really going to love what Tata have done with the design on the front.
Accommodating a battery in this structure was no mean task either. The big challenge being to ensure there is no compromise on the internal passenger space. The result of the battery design is such that 5 people can still be comfortably accommodated in the cabin. This feature alone will be detrimental to the uptake of the vehicle by families around India. It deserves a mention here that, the trunk space has not been compromised either. These features permit the car to be a practical mobility solution for those who make the purchase.
Internal Features and Highlights
The Nexon EV comes loaded with the 7” TFT color display built with a neat array of apps. Android Auto, Apple Carplay are standard along with a neat navigation tool called “what3words”. This last app designed by a British company have taken navigation and precision to a whole new level, allowing navigation to the closest 3 sq meters. It will be worthwhile for the readers to check out the navigation app on their phones to see the capability it offers.
Added to this, the car comes loaded with an 8 speaker Harman system, which is entirely controlled by the infotainment system on board.
Other key features include multiple power outlets for charging mobile phones, front and rear A/C vents, push button start and stop, rain sensing wipers, and a stylish wearable key for passive entry.
The safety features include driver and passenger airbags, speed sensing door locks and ISOFIX seats, and front fog cornering lamps as well.
While these features are now slowly becoming standard, the Nexon EV, is also loaded with an eSIM allowing for connectivity through an app for some key safety and comfort features. The app control permits remote location of the car, turning on the air-conditioning with pre-set timings, geo-fencing, monitoring charge status, and remote alarm activation.
Vehicle Usability and Utility
With an ARAI certified drive range of 312 km to a single charge, this car permits an easy and functional daily utility for those living in a city. A 15 ampere plug point allows the car to be charged at home, with a full charge taking about 8 hours. The fast charge port available through an expanding network of charge stations, permits the car to charge from 20% to 80% in 45 minutes. For those with an average daily drive of 50km, this car would require charging only 5-6 times a month.
Fitted with the eco drive as well as the sport drive options, with the toggle of the gear knob in the center console, you can get a live feed of battery usage as well as range capability depending on the drive mode that you have chosen.
The efficacy of this car was further tested in the Tata test track through the incline test for the hill ascent control and hill descent control. The hill ascent control allows for easy mobility of the car in start stop traffic while stuck on a flyover or while on a gradient. The electric motor allows for the creep function ensuring there is no roll back. The hill descent control allows for the vehicle to keep braking while going down a hill, and permitting the driver to have maximum control.
Another additional feature tested on the track was for the ability of the car to manage water wading conditions with the battery fully submerged. We drove the Nexon EV through a wet chamber with 300mm of water. With a ground clearance of 205 mm, it is safe to say that the battery was fully submerged, and yet the performance and power output of the car was seamless. Think of all the rainy days and water logged streets this car will be able to manage in the cities around India.
Verdict
We feel that this car is a practical option for those who are looking to make the switch to electric mobility. With the infrastructure of the Tata group behind this product, it is safe to say that charging stations, service and support will be expanded quickly to accommodate those who do make this switch. My personal opinion on this is that, for those living in a city, this vehicle is a no-brainer. Why stand in a queue waiting to fill fuel, when you can start with a full charge everyday. Electric mobility is here to stay, and the Nexon EV is here to make that switch possible, especially at the price point that Tata Motors is offering it at.
Tata Nexon EV prices start at INR 13.99 lakh