Tata Nexon EV Max: Another reason to go electric

review

The Tata Nexon EV has been a blockbuster, and for all the right reasons – cleverly packed in terms of size and space, it intelligently balances battery size and overall performance along with affordability and premium features.

Contrary to the belief that its use will be limited within city limits, owners are using their Nexon EVs for both intra-city and inter-city commutes, given its low running cost (compared to internal combustion engine vehicles). in) because of. It should come as no surprise that this all-electric SUV is one of the best-selling electric cars in the country and has been instrumental in accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in the mass market in India.

Tata has now gone a step further with the launch of the Nexon EV Max, which packs a bigger battery, more safety and premium features, and promises a better range. All these come at a premium of ₹ 1.54 lakh over the standard variant, which continues to be on sale.

It takes a keen eye to differentiate this long range version from the standard car. The key visual differentiators are the EV Max’s new 16-inch diamond-cut alloy and new intensity-teal paint shade, one of three exclusive options, the other two being Daytona Gray and Pristine White; All of which come with a two-tone roof as standard. There’s no distinctive ‘Max’ badging or livery, and like the standard version, it gets blue highlights on all sides.

The light-coloured cabin of the Max variant with blue highlights is almost identical to the standard car; The key word is ‘almost’. On closer inspection, one can see a tri-arrow pattern on the black dashboard applique, which tastefully fades towards the sides to a lovely deep blue color. The drive selector rotary knob feels premium with a pointed texture, and it operates with a satisfying click, too. Even though its touch and feel have been enhanced, the selector is still slow to operate, and it can be especially annoying when making three-point turns or parking in a tight spot.

Thankfully, this time around, it embeds a nice and clear display, which indicates whether you’ve selected P, R, N or D, and it even changes colors depending on the driving mode you choose – Red for Sport, blue for City and green for Eco, with Ultimate Mode being a new addition. An electronic parking brake switch replaces the handbrake; There’s an auto hold function, as well as switches for adjusting regeneration levels. The cup holders have been replaced with wireless charging pads, and an air purifier has now been integrated into the infotainment system.

The new seat ventilation function that extends comfort several notches from the inside – this is a welcome addition in tropical climates like ours and very effective too. However, at the fastest fan speed setting, seat blowers can make a very loud noise. Now, with the larger battery, the cabin floor has been raised by about 10 mm and as a result, the rear passengers are seated in a knee-length position, which is not the case with the standard Nexon EV. This sitting position leaves tall people without thigh support, and is not very comfortable. The good thing is that there is enough room for the knees and head with enough room for three.

The talking point of the Nexon EV Max is the brand new 40.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which is 33% larger than the standard Nexon EV. In its sportiest setting, the Nexon EV Max’s motor churns out 143hp and 250Nm, leveraging 14hp and 5Nm over the standard variant. Despite being more powerful, it has also increased the weight by 100kg, and as a result the Sport Mode performance feels the same as the standard variant. It’s definitely the most enjoyable mode, but it also drains the battery’s charge quickly. Its sprinting capabilities remain the same as the standard car, with a 0-100kph time of 9.4sec. However, it now hits a top speed of 137kph, which is 17kph ​​higher than the standard EV’s 120kph.

While the standard Nexon EV has just two modes – City and Sport – the Max adds in a third one, Eco Mode. Interestingly, Tata has limited both the City and Eco modes to around 97hp and 170Nm of torque. The difference between these two modes is their throttle response, which is slightly sluggish compared to the Eco City. Due to the instant torque delivery of the EV, the two modes feel more than enough for the daily urban grind and keep up with the speeding vehicles on the highways.

There are four levels of regenerative braking to choose from, including a level zero or regenerative off, which allows users to lift the accelerator and coast the car without any sudden deceleration or loss of speed. For buyers switching from ICE vehicles, level one will feel most natural, as the deceleration is gradual as you lift your foot off the throttle. Level two feels strong and level three is strongest, the latter feeling as if the brakes have been applied gently. It even comes to a crawl of 6-7kph using only the Ryzen, but doesn’t allow full one-pedal driving, as it doesn’t bring the car down completely without depressing the brakes. These regeneration levels work independently of the drive mode.

The springs and dampers have been revamped to manage the additional 100kg. Even though its ride is a bit rough, it keeps on leveling up imperfections and potholes well. However, side-by-side or rocking movements are now more prominent on broken roads. While the steering is a bit heavy, the turn-in remains sharp. Couple that with tight body control and a low center of gravity, and it makes for a fun handler. You can now tackle corners with more confidence, especially because the newly added ESP controls wheel spin and helps the driver maintain a cleaner line around long, sharp corners. Hill-hold and auto-hold functions also work well. When at standstill and drive, they prevent the car from rolling forward or backward once you lift your foot off the accelerator.

In addition to all-wheel disc brakes, the Max also features an IVBAC or Intelligent Vacuum-less Boost and Active Control device, which electronically controls brake pressure, removing the standard brake booster set-up. In the real world, this translates into a very consistent brake pedal feel, and zero pedal vibration even under hard braking when ABS comes on.

In terms of range, we managed a respectable range of 263 km overall, which is 55 km more than the average range of the standard Nexon EV, but only 60% of Tata’s advertised figure of 437 km.

The efficiency we achieved is 6.6kWh per km in the city and 6.4kWh per km on the highway, which translated into a range of 266km and 259km respectively. Testing was conducted in Eco mode, with regenerative braking set to level two, and climate control at 22 °C in full-automatic mode.

As standard, the car is available with a 3.3kWh AC charger that will take the battery down to 0-100% in 15 to 16 hours. This time around, customers get the option of buying a 7.2kWh wall-mounted AC charger at a premium of ₹50,000, which charges the battery from 0-100% in 6.5 hours.

For a price premium of 9 to 9.5% over the 30.2kWh Nexon EV, the Max packs in a 33% bigger battery, which offers 26% better real-world range, and safety games with vital kits like ESP, hill- enhances. Start Assist, Rear Disc Brake etc. Apart from this, the XZ+ Lux variant also gets upmarket kits like ventilated seats and an auto dimming mirror, which are not available with the low battery variant of the Nexon. All these neither come at the cost of performance nor ride comfort.

So, what’s not to like then? Tata’s advertised range of 437 km looks very optimistic in real-world driving conditions; The larger battery pack burrows into cabin space and results in knee-jerk seating for rear passengers (which is not the case with the 30.2kWh version); Drive selector is slow to respond; And despite being so well equipped, it lacks side and curtain airbags. Are these deal-breakers? not at all! In short, this range extender draws on the existing strength of the Nexon EV’s winning formula and broadens its appeal by giving buyers yet another compelling reason to go electric.