Tata Nexon EV test drive: The SUV brings affordable state-of-the-art electric mobility to India
Tata Nexon EV Design
Tata has given the regular Nexon a facelift to time with the move to cleaner BS6-compliant engines. This Nexon EV is a slightly modified version of that. While the overall silhouette is the same, the front looks quite sophisticated, with a more squarish look. The grille is adorned by a piano black panel across it and there are blue highlights all over to hint at the zero-emission ability of this car. The large 16-inch wheels look the part of an SUV. While these get low-rolling tyres, they haven’t reduced the thickness in a bid to aid fuel efficiency. This helps a lot with the grip.
Interiors of Tata Nexon EV
Once again, more or less similar to the Nexon’s but with some cool highlights. The EV will be available in three trims. This is the mid variant which means it does not get the sun-roof and faux leather interiors. Nevertheless, it looks as spacious. Even the floor of the car doesn’t feel raised. The front dashboard looks pleasant with an array but well laid out buttons. In its mid variant, the central infotainment touchscreen is one size smaller. In the top variant, it is as big as in the soon-to-be-launched Altroz.
The gear shifter is a dial on the centre console. The instrument cluster is again similar to the Altroz. A real-time graph also shows the levels of regeneration for the batteries. While overall refinement is aided by the lack of a vibrating fossil-fuelled engine, even road and wind noise is controlled well.
Tata Nexon EV is the first car to get Ziptron technology
This isn’t the first all-electric car from Tata. However, Nexon is the first car to get the new-gen Ziptron architecture that brings Tata EVs at par with global electric car makers. This is a tech they can modify and use on other bodystyles too. Compared to a regular Nexon, the Nexon EV’s frame has been further strengthened to take the added weight of the batteries. The batteries are not only rated for high water resistance ability, but it has also undergone the mandatory “nail test” (where a 3mm nail is inserted into the battery at speed) at a cell level, which is tougher to meet than doing the same test at the full pack level.
The battery pack is rated to a 30.2 kWh. While the car’s AC charger can do a full charge in the usual 7-8 hours, Tata is also setting up a network of fast DC chargers that can give as much as 80% charge in an hour.
Tata Nexon EV driving experience
This is the fun part because, with 245Nm of instant torque available from standstill, the Nexon EV can clock a zero to 100kph time in under 10s. More importantly, it feels stable and planted going through that sort of acceleration. The steering weighs well and there is an air of confidence while pushing it through a corner. Yes, the fat rubber helps here. With a heavy battery pack under the floor, centre of gravity is vastly improved.
The suspension set-up does a fine job of swinging between being pliant enough to soak potholes. It gets Hill Descent and Ascent features too. The later is much needed around inclines but the former needs some further fine-tuning. But the best part of the drive experience is the Sport (S) mode on that gear shifter. It manages a surge of power that’s almost 60% more than a regular drive mode. Yes, you will lose range (of course) but Tata says that is around 20% – worth the hit if you like spirited driving.
Final verdict on Tata Nexon EV
The Nexon EV is a substantial car to further the electric cause. While there are cars with a higher range, it may be able to still be attractive with a reasonably relative price compared to its more expensive rivals. More importantly, it feels well made and there is a lot of finesse. And then there is the overall driveability and practicality for our urban jungle.
Tata has incorporated a whole lot telematics into this as well which can be controlled via a smartphone app. The connected features include remote vehicle information, door lock/unlock and you can even set the air con to a particular temperature. On the safety front, it can also alert about unauthorised intrusion and track the car wherever it is. Peace of mind for ownership of the car apart from peace of mind for spewing out nothing from your car. Prices were not revealed as the Nexon EV is set for an Auto Expo launch next month. But we hope Tata can cap it 40% over the regular car and bring affordable but state-of-the-art electric mobility to India.
Source : gqindia
