Tata Nexon EV Prime 2022-2023

The overall design looks premium and Tata has really upped its game to match the style quotient of the rivals. The dual-tone black and grey colour scheme brings some airiness to the cabin and also the chrome blue accents on various places give an idea that you're driving an EV. The floating touchscreen infotainment system features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as connectivity features. This touchscreen also hints at the driving range, battery consumption, charge level and more.

Also, the flat-bottom steering wheel has been sourced directly from the Altroz. The top-spec XZ+ Lux variant is offered with off-white leatherette treatment on the door pads. We're sure that cleaning the off-white door pads will surely be a task in the long run. The piano black trim on some parts of the interior really ups the premiumness of the Nexon EV cabin.

Feature-wise, the top-spec variant of the Nexon EV is equipped with an electric sunroof, cruise control, push-button start/stop, power-folding ORVMs, rain-sensing wipers, rear AC vents, automatic projector headlights, keyless entry, coloured multi-information display and more.

Tata Nexon EV gets its juice from a 30.2 kWh battery pack. Its electric motor outputs 127 bhp and 245 Nm. This unit is mated to a single-speed automatic gearbox and power is delivered to the front wheels. There are two drive modes available - D (drive) and S (sport).

In case you’re not familiar with electric cars, you will be amazed at how silent the Nexon EV is. Shift into the S mode and you will realise how eager the Nexon EV is to move ahead. As is the case with electric vehicles, peak torque is available right from the start and the throttle response is extremely sharp. Tata claims that the 0-100 kmph mark is achieved in well under 9.9 seconds and the claim isn’t surprising at all.

The 'D' mode is suited for sedate city driving and the occasional highway runs but it is the 'S' mode that gets the adrenaline pumping. While this mode is the most fun, the driving range drops by at least 25-30%. The top speed is electronically limited to 120 kmph for both modes. The brake-regeneration energy kicks in once you lift your foot off the throttle. In fact, the re-gen can also help in increasing the driving range by a few kilometres. Furthermore, the IP67 rated battery pack ensures that it is water and dust resistant. Even though the ARAI certified driving range is pegged at 317 km, we believe that the real-world range will stick to 250-260 km only. Also, the driving range also depends on the driving condition.

Even though the Nexon EV is based on the regular Nexon, it is because of the heavy battery pack beneath the cabin floor that the dynamics of the SUV have been reworked. The ride quality is a little better due to the additional weight of 100 kg. The springs are stiffer than before and the potholes/bad patches of roads are easily conquered without causing any discomfort to the passengers. However, it is at low speeds where the ride quality feels a bit firm. At cornering speeds, the body roll is well contained.

The steering wheel is precise and in the 'S' mode, there's a good amount of heft in it. What's better is that at lower speeds, the steering wheel feels light and as the speed increases, the steering provides confidence to the driver with its heft. The brakes of the EV are adequate to haul down the beast from high speeds. You get disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear. Its rivals, MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona, get disc brakes on all wheels.

The Tata Nexon became the first Indian SUV to bag a 5-star rating at Global NCAP crash tests. With this, it’s pretty obvious that even its electric version, which shares aplenty with the ICE sibling, offers a high level of protection. That said, the electric variant of this B-SUV is yet to make it to the test beds of G-NCAP. What this basically means is that at its price point, the Nexon EV is certainly the safest electric car around.

However, it does come with a handful of safety features that should protect the occupants well in an unfortunate event of an accident. The safety kit on offer includes dual front airbags, high-speed alert system, ISOFIX child seat mounts, front seat belt reminder, anti-lock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution, hill hold control, hill descent control, rear parking sensors and rear camera. Furthermore, Nexon EV is even equipped with a child safety lock, keyless entry, speed-sensing door lock and impact-sensing door unlock feature.