Electric cars are very quickly becoming popular in India, while global markets are already full of them. However, these EVs are also slightly impractical given their short range, cost of maintenance and the price of the EV itself. Charging infrastructure has a long way to go in India, and if you haven’t a charger installed in your garage, then you’re bound to have serious range anxiety. Tata, however, has been very ambitious about its plan to enter the EV space and they found the Tata Nexon compact SUV to be the right product for the job. The Nexon, even as a petrol and diesel engined car, has proved to a hot-seller, for it offers great vale, practicality, style and a fantastic 5-star Global NCAP crash test rating for safety. With the Nexon EV, you get an entirely different experience. The question is: is it smoother, more reliable and easier to handle in traffic? We answer your questions.

More about the Nexon EV

The Tigor was actually Tata’s first EV, but the one aiming for the masses is Tata’s Nexon EV compact SUV. The Tata Nexon EV gets a liquid-cooled battery pack and a driving range of 312kms. Tata has engineered the EV on the same platform as the IC-engined Tata Nexon. The EV gets a permanent magnet motor that makes 127bhp and 245Nm of torque. The motors extracts its power from a 30.2kWh ‘T’-shaped battery pack found in the floor of the cabin. To help give way for added battery weight, the suspension have been tweaked, but most of the other bits like the brakes, dampers and springs are the same ones found on the regular Tata Nexon. Tata Cars have accomplished a 50:50 weight distribution at each axle, with the overall weight being 1400kgs, making it that bit portlier than the regular Nexon. Also, due to the positioning of the battery pack, the Tata Nexon EV has a low centre of gravity. You don’t have to be worried about the battery’s durability and lifespan, because it has been confirmed the battery conforms with IP 67 standards, making it water resistant for a duration of half-an-hour. The Tata Nexon EV comes with an AIS 48 rating, which includes tests for fire, crush and so on. The Tata Nexon EV will be able to move steadily through floods in the city, but the car is turned off instantly the moment it senses it has been under a certain water level for too long. Even our bad roads won’t come in the way. Tata Cars are said to offer an 8-year warranty on the battery pack and the motor – this should definitely lure buyers. The dimensions remain the same, but ground clearance is lower because of the batter pack.

We like the facelift on the new Nexon. It gives it an aggressive look from up-ahead. At the front, it features projector headlights with LED DRLs that can be used as turn signals as well. The front grille is new and you’ll see lots of tri-arrow elements on the body. At the front, the bonnet appears flat as it has been made keeping in mind pedestrian safety norms. Along the sides, it gets 16-inch alloy wheels and they are somewhat lighter too. At the back, the SUV gets Union Jack-like clear-lens tail lights that feature LED inserts, while the bumper too, gets some mild updates.

The cabin highlights

Look around, and you will see blue accents on the interior, similar to what you see on the outside. It gives the dashboard a sporty look; the design though, is the same. The Nexon EV features a part-digital instrument cluster along with a coloured display that shows information like projected battery range, state of charge etc. The steering looks compact and the rotary gear selector is new. To see what mode you’re in, you will have to look at the instrument cluster. The seats, comfort and room, all remain the same. The seats offer good support and cushioning. Boot space, at 350-litres, is good and features include auto headlamps and wipers, an 8-speaker Harman sound system, and 35 new app-based connectivity features for vehicle security, location-based services, alerts and remote commands.

An EV on the road

We were very impressed the moment we put our foot down on the throttle; acceleration is strong and linear, with a nice surge in power. Initially, the EV responds very well and makes easy work of driving around in traffic. It’s a great SUV for regular use, for as long as it is within urban conditions. Performance feels dull only once you’re on the highway, being overtaken by cars with more power. However, if you want to hear the front tyres squeal, just floor the throttle and it promptly takes off. Also, read the latest car comparisons, only at autoX.