Tata has launched the Nexon electric in India. The all-electric compact SUV has been priced from Rs. 13.99 lakh to Rs. 15.99 lakh (ex-showroom). With government subsidies for electric cars, the Nexon EV will be available at a price around Rs. 1.5 lakh lower than the launch prices. However, it is worth noting that prices of Nexon Electric are introductory for the time being. Hence, we expect to see a price hike coming in a few months.
Aggressive Prices
The Nexon EV is available in three variants – XM, XZ+ and XZ+ LUX. At the moment, it will be available for sale in 60 dealers across 22 cities. However, Tata plans to increase the spread of the Nexon EV as per market demand. It is worth noting that the starting price of the Nexon EV is around Rs. 1.29 lakh higher than the price of the top-end diesel variant of the regular Nexon.
| Nexon Electric Variants | Ex-Showroom India price |
| Nexon EV XM | 13.99 lakh |
| Nexon EV XZ+ | 14.99 lakh |
| Nexon EV XZ+ LUX | 15.99 lakh |
Variant-wise features
The entry-level XM variant gets features like LED daytime running lamps, automatic climate control, keyless entry and go, and all four power windows. Meanwhile, the XZ+ trim adds features like a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, a 7.0-inch colour MID screen, 16-inch alloy wheels, dual tone colour schemes, and power adjustable and foldable ORVMs. On the top-spec XZ+ LUX trim, the Nexon EV gets an electronic sunroof, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, and an 8-speaker Harman Kardonn audio system. The compact SUV is also offered with Tata’s connectivity suite – ZConnect, that adds 35 connected car features to the compact SUV.
Performance
The Nexon Electric is based on the company’s new Ziptron platform, which will underpin many more electric cars from Tata Motors. It draws power from a 30.2 kWh battery pack that provides power to the front wheels through an electric motor. The electric compact SUV is capable of putting out 129 PS and 245 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to an automatic gearbox. Tata claims that the Nexon EV can do the 0-100 km/h sprint in 9.9 seconds, before hitting its electronically limited top speed of 120 km/h.
Drive Range
On a full battery of charge, the Tata Nexon electric is capable of covering an ARAI-certified drive range of 312 km. Our team has driven the compact SUV and managed to extract 240 km of range, even while driving it aggressively on the highways. Hence, you too can get a similar real-world drive range.
Time to charge
Charging time of the Nexon electric too isn’t a deal breaker. Tata is offering a free AC charger that can be used in a 15-Ampere home socket. This will take about 8 – 9 hours to completely charge the battery pack. However, in partnership with Tata Power, the automaker will be setting up over 300 fast charger across major cities in India. Nexon EV owners will be able to use these DC fast chargers to charge the vehicle to 80 per cent in an hour.
Warranty
Another big highlight of the Tata Nexon Electric package is the warranty being offered. Tata realises the fact that all-electric vehicles are still in their nascent state in India. Hence, in order to enhance customer confidence, the company is offering a standard warranty of 3 years / 1.25 lakh km for the vehicle. Additionally, the battery pack and electric motor get a warranty of 8 years / 1.60 lakh.
Most affordable practical EV on sale in India
At the said prices, the Tata Nexon electric makes perfect sense for an average Indian buyer. It offers a practical range of over 200 km (real-world) and comes at a price tag of under Rs. 15 lakh (on-road after subsidies). Additionally, with some tax benefits being offered by the government for people buying all-electric cars on loan, the Nexon EV ticks all the right boxes in the financial department.
As far as the sheer performance is concerned, if you have never driven an EV, you ought to drive the Nexon to understand that electric cars are nowhere as boring as many people believe. Instead, with loads of torque available from 0 rpm, the Nexon is one of the fastest accelerating cars in this price range.
Talking of prices, the Nexon is currently the most affordable practical electric car on sale in India. The only other options – the MG eZS and the Hyundai Kona Electric, are priced at Rs. 20.88 lakh and Rs. 23.72 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively. The other EVs on sale in India, like the Tata Tigor and Mahindra eVerito, are way behind in practicality, thanks to their sub-100 km real-world drive range.
Till Mahindra brings the XUV300 electric in India, the Tata Nexon EV is the all-electric car to buy in India.