The first Tata Nexon EV was a game changer in India’s EV (electric vehicle) market. There are no two ways about it. It democratised the EV market here, and Tata Motors showed that owning a fun, practical and good-looking EV didn’t have to break the bank. It is still the best-selling EV in the country, and three years after its launch, it has gotten itself a comprehensive update.
Let’s have a look.
Design-wise, there's a whole new language on display (let me add here that the EV is almost identical to its new fossil fuel-powered sibling). Some elements from the original car can be seen, and there are more than a few elements from the Curvv concept car that TaMo displayed at this year’s Auto Expo.
A common EV design touch is the body-coloured face. The stylish LED DRLs are a slick addition, just like on the ICE car; the EV gets a light bar that connects the LEDs, which is a cool charging indicator.
A step-up from its predecessor in the looks department
Vertical air vents in the front bumper have been added to aid air flow, and the new 16-inch wheels are claimed to be more aerodynamic as well. The car’s rear looks a little busy compared to the rest of its body, with the tail lamps sticking out in profile. All told, however, the new Nexon EV (or Nexon.ev, as TaMo calls it) is a step-up from its predecessor in the looks department – it has more presence and looks flashier.
The cabin has been given a thorough upgrade as well, and the older car’s interior looks almost dowdy in comparison. There are three packs you can choose from -- Empowered, Fearless and Creative -- with different levels of features, and Empowered is the top-spec one, with a tasteful cream and black colour scheme.
The new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system stands front and centre, and is something that you can’t option on the ICE Nexon. It’s packed with features – Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a superb JBL audio system and so on - and has excellent resolution as well as touch sensitivity, close to smartphone levels. You can stream OTT content on it as well, while you wait for the battery to charge.
All-digital instrumentation
The instrumentation is all-digital and enclosed in a 10.25-inch screen, with different display modes and the capability to display maps. In the cabin redesign, TaMo has put the gear lever into the centre console, which also has A/C controls with haptic feedback. There are a bunch of controls there, as well as physical knobs, and it takes some time to remember what all of them do.
The steering wheel is the same as on the petrol version – a 2-spoke unit with shiny, piano-black finish. The seats have been improved all-round, with better cushioning and support, and the front seats are ventilated in the top-spec model; the rear seats are fine for two adults, but three will be a bit of a squeeze. Head and leg room at the back are adequate, but not exceptional.
No ADAS features
While there are no ADAS features, the Nexon EV has several other safety features - six airbags as standard across variants, front parking sensors, electronic parking brake and a 360-degree camera, among others. The older model had a 5-star G-NCAP crash test rating, so this model should score at least as well at the new Bharat NCAP tests. Another useful feature is V2L (vehicle to load, or the ability to charge other appliances such as laptops off the Nexon’s battery).
The motor and battery pack are not all-new, but have received some upgrades. Two versions are available – Medium and Long Range, with 30 kWh and 40.5 kWh battery packs, respectively, sending power to the Gen II motor. The batteries are lighter, too, and put out a claimed 127bhp/143 bhp and an identical 215 Nm of torque.
You get a 7.2 kW AC charger as standard, which TaMo claims will juice the battery from 10 to 100 percent in six hours. Claimed range has also gone up – 465 km for the Long Range and 325 km for the Medium Range, but you have to take these figures with a grain of salt, since real-world range will be less in both versions.
In typical EV fashion, the Nexon.ev sprints off the line, with all that torque kicking in instantly. Acceleration is linear to around the 120 kmh mark, after which it begins to tail off. In the Sport mode, an indicated 150 kmh top speed can be achieved, but this kind of driving will adversely affect range; it’s best to stay in the 80-100 kmph range on the highway. In fact, the City driving mode is more than enough for both traffic as well as highway cruising. The paddle shifters on the steering wheel control the level of regenerative braking, and it’s (almost) possible to drive the car in ‘one-pedal’ mode with the regen turned up to the maximum level.
Well-balanced weight distribution
Its ride quality is on the stiff side, but it’s actually better than its petrol counterpart because the EV’s lower centre of gravity makes it more planted; potholes and other irritants are easily dealt with, and ground clearance is excellent too, for an EV. Its well-balanced weight distribution helps in the handling department as well, making it fun around corners and in a straight line. The steering wheel is quite precise, adding to the handling department, and the brakes have a precise bite about them.
The new Nexon EV does actually live up to the ‘game changer’ tag that TaMo has given it, all told. It improves upon the older car in every imaginable aspect, and has all that it takes to keep its stranglehold on the EV market here. Like any car, it has a few minor negative aspects, and ADAS would have been welcome, but at prices ranging from Rs 14.74 lakh to Rs 19.94 lakh (ex-showroom), it’s still a very compelling buy in this segment.
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