As India looks to aggressively push its all-electric agenda, the country has finally started see launch of mainstream electric cars. Joining the fray is JLR owner Tata Motors, which has announced India’s first compact all electric SUV, Tata Nexon EV. The car is an electronic variant of the already existing Tata Nexon and will launch in early 2020.
Tata Nexon EV will be the company’s second electric vehicle and will come with a range of 300 kilometres on a full charge. The car is expected to cost in the range of Rs 15-17 lakhs. Bookings for the car will open tomorrow, starting at Rs 21,000. Tata’s first electric vehicle, the Tata Tigor EV sedan, is best left not talked about.
In terms of dimensions, the car will be identical to the standard Nexon. However, the car will come in a distinguishing Electric Teal colour with blue highlights on the inside.
Powered by Tata’s proprietary Ziptron EV technology, the car will be launched in three variants: XM, XZ+ and XZ+ LUX. The base model will feature automatic climate control, two drive modes(Drive and Sport), keyless entry and push button start. XZ+ model will add dual-tone colour options, 16-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, a 7.0 inch infotainment system, a rear camera and a leather wrapped steering wheel. The top variant XZ+ LUX will come with a sunroof, leatherette seats, and automatic wipers and headlights.
The Nexon EV will come with a 30.2kWh lithium ion battery pack powering a motor of 95kW and 245Nm torque. Tata claims that the car will reach a speed of 60kmph in 4.6sec and 100kmph in 9.9sec. The range has not been officially disclosed, but experts speculate it to be more than 300km on a full charge.
The car comes with fast charging capabilities, and using a DC fast charger can charge the car from 0 to 80% in just an hour. However, with a standard AC charger, it will take somewhere between 8-9 hrs to achieve a full charge. The battery will come with an 8 year/1,60,000km warranty.
The car will also house hill assist and and an energy regeneration function. Tata says the energy regeneration capacity is tuned in a way that it gives you substantial recharge of the batteries while the car is in cruise mode.
Nexon EV will face stiff competition from Mahindra’s eKUV and eXUV300, Maruti’s upcoming electric Wagon R and Renault’s electric version of Kwid which are expected to soon hit the markets. But then, it is good for the market and consumer overall, considering India is in dire need of affordable, well built and aesthetically pleasing electric passenger vehicles.
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