Five things you should know about the Tata Nexon EV Max; launch tomorrow

The Nexon EV Max will remain identical to the Nexon EV that is sold today.

The electric vehicle (EV) onslaught continues to work its way into the hearts of people in India. Tata Motors has been leading the charge with the Tata Nexon EV.

More and more of this EV SUV is seen on the streets, and considering the skyrocketing fuel prices, it isn’t surprising why people would choose an EV over a conventional ICE four-wheeler.

But there will always be this concern: Kitna deti hai?  While the range on the Tata Nexon wasn’t all that low, Tata Motors is all set to bring us an extended variant of the SUV called the Nexon EV Max. With the launch all set for April 11, here are five things you should know about the EV.

Exteriors

We’ll start with some of the smallest changes. The Nexon EV Max will remain identical to the Nexon EV that is sold today. It features the same butch stance that is also seen on its ICE counterpart. You get a sleek-looking grille, flanked by projector headlamps, including the LED DRLs.

The fog lamp housing includes the ice blue accents that EVs get as standard and the accents continue throughout the rest of the car as well. A new set of five-spoke alloys has been added to the Max. The rear wheels also get disc brakes this time around, which will help increase stopping power and safety. At the rear again, there is an identical looking tail gate and LED tail lamp set-up, as the rest of the Nexon range.

Interiors

The interiors would remain largely similar to the current Nexon EV. The three-spoke steering wheel would continue to be part of the dash as would be the digital instrument cluster and free-standing 7-inch infotainment screen.

The dash would be the same two-tone gloss black with blue accents to mark its EV status. One of the few changes, if previous teasers are anything to go by, should be a new rotary gear knob. Yes, this is also on the current Nexon EV, but the Max’s knob seems to be an illuminated unit that reads out the current gear selection. Of course, this does mean a new kind of housing, too, with the electronic parking and auto hold switches nestled behind the knob.

Powertrain

The biggest change here will be the addition of a bigger battery pack, thanks to which the Nexon will be able to cover longer distances. Media reports suggest that the Nexon EV Max will be powered by a 40 kWh battery pack, compared to the current 30.2 kWh pack. Additionally, the Max is expected to employ a more powerful 136 PS electric motor. Both of these changes should add up to 100 km to the total range of the current Nexon.

The ARAI-rated range for the current Nexon EV stands at 312 km. According to a video released by the company recently, the Nexon EV Max was able to complete a trip from Mumbai to Pune and back without the need to recharge.

This distance equates to nearly 300 km, so an Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI)-rated claim of 400 km should be on the cards. We will have to wait for the charging details of the new battery, but for context, the standard Nexon EV is capable of fast-charging from a supported DC fast-charger from 0 to 80 percent in one hour.

Tata Motors is also expected to add adjustable regenerative braking to the Max. This allows the battery to charge when there is no throttle input. So, allowing the car to coast on a downhill slope will also add a few extra kilometres to your total range.

Features

We’ve already spoken about the addition of regenerative braking. While the current Nexon EV also has regenerative braking, the EV Max gets paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust the intensity of the system, according to how you would like to feel it.

Tata Motors has also added cruise control to the mix, albeit in a more subtle way. Other additions include hill-hold ventilated front seats, air purifier, and electronic stability programme over the Nexon EV. Most other features should be carried forward as well. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto should come as standard as does Tata’s ConnectNext connected car tech.

A Harmon system will provide for your audio needs. Other features include airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchors, hill ascent control, rear parking sensors, rear view camera, high speed alert, auto headlamps, auto wipers, and, finally, a seat belt warning for both the driver and the front passenger.

Price and rivals

As for pricing, the Tata Nexon EV Max is likely to sell at a premium to the standard Nexon EV today. That said, both models are likely to be on sale at the same time. The Nexon EV starts a price of Rs 14.79 lakh, going up to Rs 17.40 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi. As for the EV Max, expect a premium of Rs 3-4 lakh more. So, a range of Rs 17 lakh -Rs 21 lakh could be on the cards. As for competition, the Tata Nexon EV and the Nexon EV Max will continue to go up against the likes of the MG ZS EV and the Hyundai Kona Electric.