Tata Nexon EV

Tata Nexon EV

The Tata Nexon EV has been a successful EV in the country, offering a comparatively reasonable price tag for a functional EV for usage not just in the city but also on the highways. The lower running costs and good features are major draws for buyers in this category. The Nexon EV Max is the latest and most refined addition to the line-up.

How is the design?

The Nexon EV Max is just like a regular Tata Nexon, with the same stylish design at both front and rear. It has great road presence although the floor pan has undergone a major revamp to include the new 40.5 kWh battery and the ground clearance is slightly lower. The cabin floor is also higher. The Max is also heavier than the regular counterpart. The long-range EV looks almost similar as the regular Nexon with some changes like the new diamond-cut 16-inch alloy wheels and also the exclusive paint shades. There is no separate Max badging for the EV and it also has blue highlights like the standard EV model.

How does it perform?

The Nexon EV Max comes with a larger battery which is 33% larger than the earlier version. This makes it offer capacity of 40.5 kWh. This enables more power on tap, going up to 141 BHP and 250 Nm of maximum torque. The claimed range is up to 437 km although this is the figure given by ARAI and may not be in sync with actual performance. You should easily get anywhere around 300-340 km with a full charge. The car is more powerful and heavier than before, which makes its performance feel similar as the regular EV model. The Sport mode illustrates this more visibly, although the battery also drains faster. This is only for sportier driving at times. It can touch 100 kmph in 9.4 seconds and can touch 137 kmph in its top speed. There is a City mode and the Eco mode as well, restricting these modes to 97 hp and 170 Nm of maximum torque. Eco feels slightly dull in comparison to the other mode, although they are both sufficient for daily city driving and also on the highway. They take anywhere around 14.1-14.3 seconds to achieve the 100 kmph mark. There are four regenerative braking levels available from level zero (regeneration off) onwards and users can let the car cruise without sudden momentum lags or deceleration. Level one is the regular one for those who have driven non-EVs before while level two and three are more powerful even though you may gently push the brakes in these cases.

What’s the range?

The driving range is around 312 km (MIDC Cycle) on the certified full charge. You can expect anywhere around 300 km with a full charge. You can expect efficiency levels between 6.4-6.6 km/kW across the city and highways alike. This is possible in the Eco mode with up to level two regenerative braking as well.

How’s the driving experience?

The Nexon EV Max feels heavier although it gets a stiffer suspension setup and can take potholes and rough roads rather well. There is still some bouncy movements while driving and the steering also feels heavy at times. There is tighter body control and a lower centre of gravity. This makes it a sportier offering with good cornering abilities and ESP also regulates overall wheel spin. The auto-hold and hill-hold functions are also neat while there are disc brakes all around and iVBAC or Intelligent Vacuum-Less Boost along with Active Control Device for regulating brake pressure. This means a more consistent feel in terms of the brake pedal and near-zero vibrations. The EV Max is a good car to drive overall and handles reasonably well.

What’s the interior like?

The cabin has a lighter hue with its blue highlights. There is a novel tri-arrow design for the black dashboard appliqué portion and the lovely side blue shade is a masterful touch. The drive selector rotary knob is a premium touch with its texture although it can be slow to use. However, its display is clear and visible this time around and colors will change on the basis of your chosen driving mode as well. There is an electronic parking brake switch to swap for the handbrake along with the auto hold feature and switches for regeneration level adjustments. Cup holders are now swapped by wireless charging pads and there is an integrated air purifier as well. There is blue stitching for the front seats along with the tri-arrow design. They are quite comfortable with ventilation features alongside. The rear passengers sit higher this time and taller people may not find good thigh support levels here. However, head and knee room are decent and three people can sit comfortably at the back as well. Boot space stands at 350 litres while there is the 60:40 split ratio for the rear seats alongside. There is a tyre repair kit and spare tyre neatly concealed below the floor for the boot.

Tech and infotainment

You get plenty of tech with the Tata Nexon EV including cruise control, wireless charging, driver modes, four levels of regenerative braking, an air purifier, ventilated front seats, and an auto-dimming interior mirror. You also get a 7-inch touch screen infotainment system with an instrument console, ventilated seats, auto-dimming IRVM, cruise control, and connectivity features through the ZConnect app, inclusive of integration with smartwatches. There are rear vents for air conditioning along with a 12V socket as well.

Battery capacity and electric motors

The car gets a 3.3 kWh charger which can reach 100% in 15-16 hours. You can also purchase the 7.2 kWh wall-mounted AC charging option by paying a little more. This can charge the battery to 100% levels in 6.5 hours. You can use the DC 50 kW fast charger where the battery will touch 80% in only 56 minutes. There is the permanent magnet synchronous motor with 129 PS and 245 Nm in outputs and multiple drive modes. There is the 30.2 kWh high-energy density lithium ion battery pack for the Max EV along with battery capacity of 40.5 kWh.
Safety equipment

There are plenty of safety features including ESP, hill-start assist, traction control, electronic parking brake, hill-descent control, auto-hold, rear disc brakes, tyre pressure loss indicator, and more. There are four levels of regenerative braking as well.

What’s the warranty on battery?

There is a warranty of 8 years or 1,60,000 kilometres on the battery, whichever comes earlier.

Which cars compete in this segment?

There are several competitors to the Tata Nexon EV in the category including the Hyundai Kona EV and the MG ZS EV. The Kona is theoretically the long-distance pick in the category, followed by the ZS EV and the Nexon EV Max. In real-world settings, the MG ZS EV may have the most juice, followed by the Kona and then the Nexon EV Max. The Nexon EV Max still does well in terms of braking, handling, ride, and overall performance. It is the easiest to park due to its smaller size. The Kona has the highest levels of road noise while the ZS EV has the most silent and refined cabin. The latter has the highest legroom and shoulder room with a panoramic sunroof. However, there are still some drawbacks. The Kona Electric also has them with a lower seating position. It does not offer as much comfort and space at the back. The Nexon offers better rear seat comfort despite being the smallest option in the category.

The Kona is the costliest of the three cars and it is here that the Nexon EV Max will make for a value buy. The ZS EV is a good enough mix and is the most dynamic of the lot. The Nexon EV Max still makes more sense from the budget perspective and also due to the ride, handling, features, and overall performance.

Verdict (Value for Money)

The Nexon EV Max makes for a compelling proposition, and could tempt more buyers to take the electric route. It comes with a longer driving range than before and gets more features. It looks stylish and performs reasonably well. The only issue is with the rear seating position and a few other chinks in its armor. However, by paying only a little more than a regular Nexon EV, the EV Max offers a whole lot more to buyers including a larger battery, more safety features, and lots of other equipment. It is a good value pick for buyers looking to finally make the transition to driving EVs.