Green mobility has been on the agenda of almost every automaker and even our government has been pitching it as an eventual solution to overcome pollution and becoming less dependent on fossil fuels. While 100 per cent electrification still seems a far-fetched dream as automakers wait for infrastructure to be set-up and the market to be developed, there are some carmakers that have already come up with some mass market electric cars in India. Here's a list of top five green cars that are on sale in India.
Also Read: Battle Of The Electrics: MG ZS EV vs. Hyundai Kona Electric
The Hyundai Kona looks modern and futuristic.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is offered in India in two variants- Premium which is priced at Rs. 23.72 lakh and the Premium Dual-Tone which is priced at Rs. 23.91 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, India). It is powered by a 39.2 kWh battery that powers a 100 kW motor which sends power to the front wheels and puts out 131 bhp and 395 Nm of peak torque. The Kona Electric offers a range of 452 km on a single charge and can clock triple digit speeds in 9.7 seconds. It can be fully charged in seven to eight hours using a regular charger, while a fast charger can charge the battery up to 80 per cent in under an hour.
The cabin of the Hyundai Kona Electric has a clean, simple design and is loaded with features too.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is equipped with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, ventilated seats, heads-up display, leather seats, digital instrument console, bi-function LED headlamps, electric sunroof, ventilated front seats, 10-way adjustable driver's seat and an electric parking brake among others.
The MG ZS EV looks more like a conventional crossover.
The MG ZS EV is also offered in India in two variants- Excite which is priced at Rs. 20.88 lakh and Exclusive which is priced at Rs. 23.58 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, India). The MG ZS EV comes with a 44.5 kWh battery pack that powers a synchronous motor that develops 141 bhp and 353 Nm of peak torque. The company says that the battery offers a maximum range of about 340 km on a single charge. The ZS EV also comes with a power electronic (PE) solution from UAES, which helps the car go from 0-100 kmph in 8.5 seconds. The lithium-ion battery can be charged up to 80 per cent in 40 minutes using a 50 kW DC charger, or takes up to seven hours with a standard 7.4 kW charger. MG is also providing a 7.4 kWh charger in all the ZS EV cars, which can be used at any 15-Amp socket.
The interior of the MG ZS EV is clean and clutterfree.
The MG ZS EV comes with feature like 17-inch machine-cut alloy wheels, LED daytime running lamps, front and rear seat-belt reminder, heated ORVMs, reverse parking camera with dynamic lines, hill descent control, six airbags, and electric stability control. It is also equipped with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, panoramic sunroof and the Smart EV 2.0 connected car technology which makes it a connected car. It also gets a PM 2.5 air filter which can bring bad air quality level of up to 300 AQI down to regular levels in just 35 mins.
The eKUV100 is the most affordable electric SUV on sale in India.
The Mahindra eKUV100 was launched at the Auto Expo 2020 and was priced at Rs. 8.25 lakh (ex-showroom, India), making it the most affordable electric car in the country, however, its deliveries are yet to begin due to the coronavirus crisis. It's powered by a 40 kW electric that belts out about 53 bhp and 120 Nm of peak torque. It will come with a 15.9 kWh lithium-ion battery and is expected to offer a range of 120 km on a single charge. Mahindra had showcased the eXUV300 concept at the Auto Expo 2020 as well. The motor is powered by a 40 kWh battery pack capable of delivering a range of above 300 km on a single charge while the power output is expected to be around 130 bhp.
The Tata Nexon EV is available in three variants.
The Tata Nexon EV has been launched in India in three variants- XM, XZ and XZ+ with prices starting at Rs. 13.99 lakh and going all the way up to Rs. 15.99 lakh (ex-showroom India). The Tata Nexon EV uses a permanent magnet AC motor, which will be powered by a lithium-ion battery that is liquid-cooled and IP67 certified. The Nexon EV is powered by a 30.2 kWh battery offering a maximum range of over 312 km on a single charge. The new electric powertrain in the Nexon EV puts out 245 Nm of peak torque, enough to clock triple digit speeds in 9.9 seconds. The battery can be charged up to 80 per cent in 60 mins using a fast charger while it will take 8 hours to do the same using a home charger. In fact, per minute of fast charging will give it a range of 4 km and if you have a charge of 50 per cent, the Nexon EV is good to go for 150 km.
The Tata Nexon EV gets new black treatment for the dashboard with white upholstry
It is equipped with features like a fully automatic climate control, connected car app, keyless entry with button start, all four power windows, an electric tailgate. On the higher variant, there's a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system from Harman with 4 speakers and 4 tweeters, smartphone-based navigation, video playback, voice command, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car also gets a leather-wrapped steering wheel along with rear parking camera with reverse park assist.
The Tata Tigor EV is available in three variants.
The Tigor Electric is also available in three variants - XE+, XM+ and XT+ - and is available for both fleet buying and customers who want to buy the car for personal use. Tata Motors is offering the car in 30 cities and prices start at Rs. 9.44 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The new extended version of the Tigor EV offers an enhanced driving range as well and that is rated at 213 km on a single charge which is 71 kilometres more than before. The Tigor EV gets a 21.5 kWh battery pack and the vehicle is equipped with dual airbags (XE+ variant with driver airbag only) and an anti-lock braking system (ABS) as standard.
The cabin is similar to the petrol/diesel powered Tigor.
On the inside, it gets black and grey interiors, fabric seats, height adjustable driver's seats, 2-din audio system woth Bluetooth connectivity, four-door power windows and a single speed transmission shifter.
