Tata Motors has been the go-to-brand when it comes to affordable electric vehicles for quite some time now. While it now has a five-car stable of EVs, its most popular model continues to be the Nexon EV. The sub-4m SUV, was already a success as a petrol/diesel powered everyday car till the electric version arrived on the scene back in 2019. With a popular body style that resonated with its customers, Tata spotted the potential and over the next 3-4 years brought in a series of upgrades which included enhanced battery range, connected car features and a more futuristic design to bring it at the current level. We lived with it for nearly 3 months and here is our long-term experience
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Let’s get straight to the most important aspect of a battery-powered vehicle. The Nexon comes with three battery options – Mid-Range (MR), Long Range (LR) and 45. The capacities of these are 30kWh, 40.5kWh and 45 kWh, respectively. Nexon uses Lithium-ion type of cells for its power pack. They are all, liquid cooled as in most other electric cars on Indian roads and come with a IP 67 safety rating. While peak torque is the same for all battery packs at 215Nm, peak power varies starting with 95kW (127bhp) for MR, 106.4kW (143bhp) for LR and 110kW (148bhp) for the top 45. Our test vehicle was the Long-Range one with a claimed range of 390km under test conditions. MR has a claimed range of 275km while the top 45 is said to be capable of 489km.
During the stint with us, the Nexon LR was predominantly used for city use with a long-distance run once in two weeks. The average weekly run was around 250-275km. The Nexon comes with drive modes – Eco, City and Sport. It was mainly run in City mode with AC switched on. There are three regen modes to choose from that allows increasing levels of charging every time you lift your foot off the throttle pedal. There is also provision to switch it off completely which is the mode we drove it in. The car was mostly for personal use so maximum three passengers with not much luggage. And we drove it with a light foot with speeds not exceeding 80kph. With these conditions the range we got was around 290km on a full charge. This meant that we had to charge the Nexon only once a week which was convenient.
The second most important aspect of living with an EV is charging. The Nexon.ev LR comes with two charger options. The base MR gets a 3.3kW AC charger as standard while the other two come with 7.2kW AC charger. The latter is faster and particularly useful if you have a stronger electric supply. Our text Nexon was used in Mumbai where most existing housing complexes do not provide or simply do not have the luxury of space for installing a wallbox charger. Hence, we always charged at a 25 kW fast charger either on the Tata Power network or at the car&bike office premises.
It usually took us 2-2.5 hours for a full charge. 10-80 per cent was always much faster. The whole process, while seamless in hindsight, needed a little getting used to. We mostly used Tata Power app, which wasn’t always 100 per cent accurate when came to the charging point being available or functional. During our time with the Nexon, on one occasion the AC charger at a fast charger got stuck and we had to shuffle between Tata Power and Tata Motors helplines to find a solution. But we didn’t face the problem after that. The Tata.ev app is quite informative, and it was easy to track charging status with it.
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Of course, all of this means nothing if it isn’t an enjoyable and practical drive. The Nexon’s sub-4m length and a higher seating position makes it a handy car to drive in average Indian road conditions where potholes, bad road joints and irregular speed breakers are abundant. The Nexon with its 16-inch wheels and a robust suspension set-up was able to manage them all. The suspension set-up includes an independent McPherson strut with coil springs at the front and a twist beam dual path strut at the rear. Not very fancy but great for our roads. Is a bit soft but goes well with the tall stance as it makes the ride supple. The electric power steering has ample assistance. Not the sharpest but light so easy to use.
Acceleration is one of the aspects that is easy to fall in love with on the Nexon. With a diesel-like 215 Nm of torque available from standstill, getting off the blocks and overtaking is easy. The Nexon EV can do 0-100 kmph in the claimed 8.9 seconds. But frequent sudden acceleration and cruising continuously above 80 kmph does hamper the range substantially. Speaking of which, the available range shown on the instrument cluster is reasonably accurate. The LR version comes with rear disc brakes as standard so there is enough bite too for quick deceleration too. However, the weight shifting can be felt under panic braking.
The Nexon EV in LR spec comes with a good array of features to give it a premium feel. It is available in multiple personas namely Fearless, Fearless+, Fearless+ S, Empowered+ (our test vehicle) and Empowered+ Dark. It got the bigger 12.3-inch central Harman infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, ventilated seats, rear armrest and air purifier among others. The white interiors look neat but could require more attention over a longer period given our dusty environs.
Space is ideal for four passengers. A third passenger can be accommodated at the rear. The floor at the rear is flat so legroom isn’t an issue. The floor is a bit high so under-thigh support isn’t as good as in the petrol version of Nexon. Boot space is quite adequate for airport runs and the off overnight trip.
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The vehicle comes with a 3 year/125,000km warranty. The battery comes with a longer 8-year/160,000km warranty.
The Nexon EV's pricing starts at Rs 12.49 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Mid-Range version while the Long Range starts at Rs 14.59 lakh. Our test Empowered+ trim, which is substantially well-specced, costs Rs 16.29 lakh with an estimated EMI of close to Rs 24,000. This is expensive but is quite well-specced with a rather exhaustive equipment list to give that premium feel. The top 45 in the same Empowered+ spec will cost an additional Rs 70,000 in which you can potentially get around 80km more range on a single charge. If you have a running close to 300km per week, we recommend you opt for the 45 variant. If not, the Nexon EV LR is good enough for most use cases.
For those looking at an EV option as an everyday car, the Nexon could fit the bill. It is practical, good ride, performance and equipment list. With a real-world range of close to 300km, it allows you the hassle for frequent charging. We would recommend the Nexon 45 for that added range to make it even more convenient for longer-distance trips out of the city. The electronics isn’t bullet proof and that is probably something Tata could look at. Also, minor squeaks and rattles that keep popping up can be an irritant, especially given it has a silent powertrain. Charging time isn’t too bad given you find a fast enough charger on such trips. More importantly, it gives you a proper EV experience – one with finesse in acceleration, features and presence.
Alternatives: Mahindra XUV 4OO, MG Windsor, Tata Punch.ev, Tata Curvv.ev
SPECS AT A GLANCE
Battery: 40.5kWh
Power: 143bhp
Torque: 215Nm
0-100kph: 8.9s
Drive: FWD
Transmission: AT
Ground Clearance: 190mm
Boot Space: 350 litres
Turning radius: 5.3m
Tyres: 215/60 R16
