2023 was an exciting year for EVs. It saw the launch of many exciting products, both luxury and mass market. There were also a few standout products such as the Lotus Eletre, which marked the British marque’s foray into the Indian market along with the MG Comet, one of the smallest passenger vehicles available for sale in the country. That said, here are the top electric car reviews of 2023.
Lotus is a brand that has made many iconic sports cars in its over 7-decade history. The Eletre is trying to take that legacy forward but compared to Lotus' lightweight sports cars it's a whole different animal. The EV is Lotus' first SUV and a proper luxury vehicle. On the move, it really feels like a high-performance ICE vehicle, and you love it as a driver, but it also indulges you with the tech and luxury it offers. It just changes the way the world has looked at Lotus for decades and seems like a perfect launchpad for the brand in the Indian market.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE is the luxury brand’s latest electric offering in the country. Priced at Rs 1.39 crore (ex-showroom), it is positioned above the EQB and is currently Mercedes' flagship electric SUV for the market. The new Mercedes-Benz EQE is based on the same EVA platform as the EQS, so you will see the same family traits like the black panel grille, with the large three-pointed star at the centre, and smaller ones around it. For its price, the EQE offers some of the nicest luxury creature comforts and tech. The performance is really good, and it is capable of handling rough roads with little fuss too.
Tata launched the facelifted Nexon EV in India in 2023. The vehicle is a big step up compared to the older model. It’s a lot more premium now and gets a bunch of features and tech that are best-in-segment. The Nexon EV was always a good-handling car, and nothing has changed in that department. The steering inputs are nice, and the car feels stable both on the straights as well as the corners, even at higher speeds. The ride quality too is quite nice.
After launching the XC40 Recharge last year, Volvo rolled out the C40 Recharge, based on the same platform in 2023. The C40 Recharge is the first ‘Born Electric’ vehicle from Volvo, meaning it doesn’t have an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) counterpart. The electric crossover holds a 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. Plus, you get features like 7 airbags, seat belt reminders for all occupants, 360-view cameras, along with hill start assist and descent control, ISOFIX mounts and rain-sensing wipers. The ride quality is very plush and comfortable. And it also handles quite nicely. The steering is a bit too light, however, as you move up the speedometer it weighs up nicely.
After launching the C3 hatch in the market, Citroen brought in the electric version of the car, called the e-C3. Similar to the C3 hatchback in terms of design inside and out, it is equipped with a 29.2 kWh air-cooled battery which drives a small but adequate motor. The Citroën e-C3 comes across as a reliable city car that offers a good amount of practicality and acceptable drivability. It does check most boxes and if you’re looking for an affordable EV in the market, this could be a good bet.
The BMW i7 is the flagship electric sedan from BMW. The all-electric sibling to the seventh-gen 7-Series, the luxury sedan is nearly 5.4 metres long, close to 2 metres wide and comes with a wheelbase that’s over 3.2 metres long. The car comes with two Permanent magnet synchronous electric motors, one attached to each axle. The motors draw power from a 101.7 kWh Lithium-Ion battery pack, offering a combined power output of 536 bhp and 745 Nm of torque. At Rs. 1.95 crore (ex-showroom, India) the BMW i7 is one of the most expensive electric cars you can get in India today. Yes, the fully imported i7 is Rs. 36 lakh more expensive than its closest rival, the locally assembled Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. However, the former has its own, very unique character.
The latest from MG in India, Comet is different in many ways. It isn’t the first time that we’ve seen an electric car this small in India, but this one is far ahead when it comes to design, features and appeal. Overall, it comes across as a likeable city car which is loaded with many new-age features that will keep you hooked. It has enough in its tank both in terms of power as well as range while its compact size makes your life easier in the urban chaos. This gadget on wheels has the potential to be a worthy urban mobility solution in the times to come.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 was launched in India at the 2023 Auto Expo, with prices starting at Rs. 44.95 lakh (ex-showroom). It was crowned the World Car Of The Year in 2022, edging out two other EVs, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Kia EV6. The Ioniq 5 looks beautiful, is feature-loaded and packs in more than decent performance and comfort. Bringing all of it together is the price point of Rs. 44.95 lakh, which undercuts the competition by a huge margin. Yes, it is a premium model, but it is a good indication of the capabilities of Hyundai and the way forward for the company.
