Should you consider Tata Nexon EV as your next daily driver
Tata has launched a proper daily driving Electric car in India. In the current Indian market, we have electric vehicles like Mahindra e2o, eVerito, Tata Tigor EV, Hyundai Kona, MG ZS EV, and Mercedes EQC. With the Tata Nexon EV, Tata has 4 electric cars in their portfolio in India. There are a few upcoming electric cars in India like the Tata Altroz EV, Mahindra eKUV100, Nissan Leaf, and Tesla Model 3 & Model S. Let’s talk about the Tata Nexon EV, why is this the best electric vehicle in the current Indian EV market. And I will answer the question Should I buy a Tata Nexon EV?
Tata Nexon EV
Tata Nexon EV is an affordable and efficient EV in the current market. An earlier generation of EV in India was not promising as it did not have the power or the range. But the Tata Nexon EV has brought about a spark in the Indian Market, with 2 Variants MR (Medium Range) and LR (Long Range).
There are 3 variants
| Variant Name | Ex-Showroom Price |
| Nexon EV Creative Plus | 14.74 lakhs |
| Nexon EV Fearless | 16.19 Lakhs |
| Nexon EV Fearless Plus | 16.69 Lakhs |
| Nexon EV Fearless Plus S | 17.19 lakhs |
| Nexon EV Empowered | 17.84 lakhs |
| Nexon EV Fearless LR | 18.19 lakhs |
| Nexon EV Fearless Plus LR | 18.69 lakhs |
| Nexon EV Fearless Plus S LR | 19.19 lakhs |
| Nexon EV Empowered Plus LR Dark | 19.49 lakhs |
| Nexon EV Empowered Plus LR | 19.99 lakhs |
Let’s see the specification
| Range | Max Power | Charging Time | Battery Capacity | Max Torque |
| 325 Km (MR) | 127 Hp | 4H 20 Min-7.2 kW (10-100%) & 56 Min-50 kW (10-80%) | 30.2 kWh (Liquid Cooled IP67 Rated Battery Pack) | 215 NM |
| 465 Km (LR) | 142 Hp | 6H 7.2 kW (10-100%) & 56 Min-50 kW (10-80%) | 40.5 kWh (Liquid Cooled IP67 Rated Battery Pack) | 215 NM |
The Real-world Range will depend on the driving style and road conditions. However, when we tested we got around 300 Km in the Long Range (LR), you can check out the video below.
There are no gears in Nexon EV as electric vehicles don’t need one, because electric motors produce continuous power. You also get regenerative braking which helps to add range when you let go of throttle or when you brake. You also get 245 Nm torque as soon as you press the throttle. You get 3 drive modes Economy, City and Sport. The Economy and City drive modes are good and you get decent acceleration and pickup, but in Sport mode, you get the maximum power and you will also notice the wheel spin, if you are a new driver use Sport mode with caution.
Exterior of Tata Nexon EV
The first look will resemble the ICE-powered Tata Nexon, the only major difference outside is the daytime running lights. You get an EV batching on the side and nice-looking Alloy wheels which helps in gaining more range.
Interior of Tata Nexon EV
The seats are comfortable, with good interior quality. You get a 10.25-inch & 12.3-inch infotainment screen. You get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This updated interior looks more premium and upmarket compared to the previous Nexon EV. The quality of the plastic is good and the design of the dashboard is also good. The only problem is that you will see quite a few panel gaps in the interior. Also, the touch panel for the AC vents and the illuminated Tata Logo panel are glossy black so you have to take extra care to keep those clean.
The interior space is good in the front, you get good seats with good support. But the back seat is not very comfortable, it is not bad, just improvements could be made.
| Smart Digital Steering Wheel | Hidden Rear Wiper |
| Vehicle to Vehicle Charging & Vehicle to load charging | Smart Digital Steering Wheel |
| JBL Cinematic Sound System (9 Speakers) | Phygital control panel |
| 10.25 Inch Instrument Cluster | 60:40 Rear Seats and Centre Armrest |
| Ventilated Seats | 10.25 Inch Infotainment Screen |
| Rear AC Vents | 12.3 Inch Infotainment Screen (available in top 2 variants) |
| Voice assisted sunroof | USB Type C (45W Fast Charging) |
| Wireless Mobile Charging | Cooled Glove box |
| Electronic Parking Brake |
Safety
| 6 Airbags | 360° Surround View Camera System |
| ESP | Blind Spot View Monitor |
| Front Parking Sensor | Auto Hold |
| All Disc Brakes | Hill Descent Control |
| Hill Ascent Control | Reverse Camera |
Problems
Little problems which I faced while driving the Tata Nexon EV are
- When you accelerate there is a delay, when you press the pedal there is a delay of half a sec
- There is no universal charging socket, which means you cannot charge at a Mahindra fast charging point.
- The Touchscreen has a lag, when I tested it stopped working a few times
- The Backseat space and comfort could be better
Comparing Tata Nexon to a Petrol car
Let’s calculate how much would you save if you buy Tata Nexon.
- Mileage = 16 KMPL of your petrol car
- Daily KM you drive = 50KM on average, this may vary, monthly KM 50*30 = 1500
- Petrol Price Rs. 95, this varies from city to city
- So the total cost on average required on fuel for a month = 1500/16 = 94 litres of petrol, 94*95 = Rs. 8930/month.
- The yearly cost for fuel is 8450*12 = Rs. 1,01,300
- Let’s consider you drive your petrol car for 8 years 1,01,300*8 = 8,10,400
Now let’s see the cost to drive the Tata Nexon EV (Long Range)
- Claimed Range = 456 KMPL
- Real-world Range = 300 KMPL (this varies on driving conditions you may get a better range)
- Battery Size = 40.5 KWh
- To charge 1 KWH you require Rs 7, so to charge 30 KWH you would require 30*7 = Rs. 210
- On one charge, you can travel around 300 KM, which almost equates to Re.1/KM.
- So to travel 1500 KM in a month you would require Rs 1500.
- So yearly cost = 1500*12 = Rs 18000.
- For 8 years 18000*8 = Rs 1,44,000
So you see how much you save on fuel, you also save the environment from the pollution caused by petrol a car. Also, you don’t have engine parts which need replacing. You are paying more for the Tata Nexon EV, but in the long run, you are saving money. I think this answers to the question Should I Buy the Tata Nexon EV? Is Yes, as real-life driving range and cost are very important
Verdict
I think you should buy a Tata Nexon EV if you are going to drive within city limits because you are going to get the most range in city driving, not in highway driving. Also, this is more appropriate to buy a second car in the current scenario, where you can have a petrol car for long drives and this as a daily city driver.
I would suggest waiting for 3-5 years and we will have more options at a competitive price in the electric car segment. Also more fast charging ports.
Overall this is a strong start for Electric vehicles in the Indian market, and the Tata Nexon EV is priced well when compared to other options available in the market.
