Be it the outgoing Nexon EV or the 2023 Facelifted Nexon.ev , they want to achieve the same purpose - be the game changer in the Indian EV space and make the customer feel one with the car. With approx 70% EV market domination and 53,000+ customers in the last 3 years, the Nexon EV has paved its way right into the masses' preference. The Nexon EV itself has become an identity in itself and a pioneer in the EV market. Changing the perspective about the electric industry in India with such ease is no piece of cake.
The new Tata Nexon.ev has truly left me with many positives. With numerous upgrades and an iconic design, it's going to shake the industry and bring the standards of an EV vehicle a notch higher. As soon as you enter the car, you are surrounded by various engaging features and modern tech, most of which you would find in a car 2-3 segments above. Let's dive into some of those features and find out just how Tata Motors has taken an already impressive car to the next level.
VERDICT
The New Nexon.ev, with its upgrades and futuristic designs, is a true game changer in its segment. In my opinion, its predecessor was a hot-selling car, and this one has way better range, performance, modern tech upgrades, iconic and very attractive exterior design are many plus points added to the car. After driving it, I honestly had no major complaints, which says a lot about a good car.
Although the price is yet to be announced, which will be the deciding point of the car, until then, I can confidently say that the new Nexon.ev is going to bring the expectations of the customer much higher in the EV segment.
With the new Gen-II motor delivering 143hp (LR) and 128hp (MR), producing 215Nm of torque and the powerhouse EDU, which has become 20+ kg lighter yet more powerful than its predecessor, the car has a very smooth driving experience. Diving more into it, the car does 0-100 in 8.9 seconds with an extended top speed of 150kph. Personally, I'm really happy with the torque, as you can feel the instant punch in the car when you get on the acceleration, reaching my expectations as a racer who would want a car with some strong performance on the road, too.
The acceleration is impressively responsive and smooth, which I liked the most. The power buildup is decent and doesn't feel lagged at all. The car has three driving modes - Eco, City,and Sports. The good thing about all the modes is that they all have different feels and 4 regen levels, each giving us various driving modes. Talking about the regen, the paddle shifters help the driver to choose from the many regen options, overall improving efficiency and range.
The steering wheel could have been slightly more precise, but I'm still satisfied with the way the car handles on the city roads. Adding to that are the 360-degree cameras. The suspension and balance of the car make it stick to the ground, and it maneuvers decently on curves with a ground clearance of 190mm in the long-range and 205mm in the medium range, respectively. The car comes with all-disc brakes in the long-range, while the medium range has a disc on the front and a drum at the rear.
The car has two liquid-cooled battery pack options: long-range and medium-range. The medium range comes with a 30kWh Battery with a range of 325km, and the long range is equipped with a 40.5kWh battery and 465km ARAI rated. And let me tell you, for these batteries, the range and efficiency that Tata Motors is giving is incredible for this segment of EV cars.
In terms of range, there's an improvement of 2-3% with the support of iVBAC. The addition of all LED lamp setups has also reduced 30% of the electrical load. In terms of their aerodynamic design approach, the reduction of the aero resistance has also affected the 2% better range.
CHARGING FEATURES
Tata Motors has added 2 amazing features to the car in terms of charging. You get V2V charging, meaning vehicle-to-vehicle charging taking away the charging anxiety, if you have a Nexon.ev, then you can charge it directly from another Nexon.ev, and if it's some other EV, you can still charge it, but it will be slower.
Next up, you also get V2L charging, meaning vehicle-to-load charging, making it even more of an effective feature as the car becomes a power bank to use any electric appliances. So next time we go out camping, we can have a barbeque night or, literally, we want to host a movie night.
Once I got inside the car, the illuminating logo on the steering wheel caught my attention right away. Even though the illuminated logo may take some while to adjust to, it provides a modern and cool aesthetic to the interior. But the horn being right under it makes it an unnatural sensation to use. The 10.25-inch instrument cluster has great resolution quality. It also contains a navigation system, which is visible on the screen, making it easier for the driver while driving. The blind spot view mirrors, too, are an excellent touch to the car.
Right beside that is the 12.3-inch infotainment screen containing quite a handful of features. Starting the Arcade.ev, which is a first in the EV segment, makes it easy access for passengers to stream various OTT platforms online, play games, and listen to their favourite music or podcasts while the car is in parking. Only when the electric parking brake is on, that's when you can stream the apps. The infotainment screen has great resolution and brightness, but it lacks a little bit of the responsiveness factor. The car comes with 4 types of voice assistant - Alexa, Google, Siri and native voice assistance with 200+ voice commands in 6 different languages, making it easier for customers to use in their preferred language. The wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are a good touch as well.
Going to the comfort side of the car, the front seats are ventilated, making it a comfortable drive. Considering the leatherette seats are made out of sustainable materials, the quality could have been even better with the leather seats, but they are still exceptionally comfortable. With the sloping roofline, the headroom is compromised, and I hardly had any space left above my head. At the rear, the boot space is 350 litres, a good enough for the segment.
One really great thing about the car is that it has a 45W C type front and rear charging ports, making it a big win. Plus, you also get air-cooled wireless charging in the front of the car. Lastly, the JBL Sound System has 9 speakers, which is very interesting! With 4+4+1, you get a subwoofer in the boot, making the music system quality a notch higher than other competitors.
The new Nexon.ev retains its iconic design elements, which made it a hit previously, and now manages to bring in a new concept-car-like design which catches your eye on the road. This design includes a sharper front end and gives it a more aerodynamic bodyline yet with a futuristic look. The Nexon.evs' new front bumper has some peculiar traits which set it apart from the Nexon's ICE counterpart. Staying with the front end, the Nexon.ev also features a dynamic LED lightbar integrated in line with the DRLs with a welcome and goodbye light sequence. The lightbar also doubles as a charging indicator while the car is plugged in. The DRLs also double as the indicators, which themselves are presented with a sequential animation.
Coming to the side of the car, the new R16 alloy wheel design is aimed at making the Nexon.ev more aerodynamically efficient utilizing the wheel inserts. The sloping roofline makes the car look longer and more prominent on the road. Finally, moving to the car's rear, the LED signature X-factor light stays true to its identity, looking quite futuristic. The rear wiper has been repositioned and is now hidden, making the outside view of the rear windscreen better for the driver. Overall, the exterior of the car has impressed me quite a lot and will surely attract the younger generation customers as well.
Battery Capacity (MR) - 30kWh
Range (30kWh) - 325km
Power - 128 hp
Torque - 215 Nm
Battery Capacity (LR) - 40.5kWh
Range (45kWh) - 465km
Power - 143 hp
Torque - 215Nm
Acceleration (0-100kmph) - 8.9sec* ( LR )
