Tata Motors to launch Nexon EV today

Marking a shift in its electric vehicle (EV) strategy from niche segments such as fleet and taxi to personal applications, Tata Motors Ltd will launch the electric variant of its popular compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) Nexon later today. Even as the Nexon EV is the second electric car from Tata Motors after Tigor EV, it will be company's first EV targeting buyers in the personal segment.

The Nexon EV will also be the first electric vehicle from the stable of Tata Motors to be powered by the in-house developed Ziptron technology, which is a modular electric powertrain platform comprising of permanent magnet AC motor and a dust and water proof, liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery system. The said powertrain, in different configurations, will drive all incoming EVs aimed at the personal segment, Shailesh Chandra, president, electric mobility business unit at Tata Motors had told Mint earlier.

The company executives had previously said that the electric powertrain platform was developed with the intent to address the basic customer concerns around EVs such as range anxiety, safety and durability. These concerns have arguably acted as the barriers in EV adoption in India.

At the first unveiling of the Nexon EV last month, the company had said that the electric car would offer a long running range of over 300 kms on a single charge and will be offered with a warranty of 8 years or 160,000 kms (whichever is earlier) on battery and motor.

As the Nexon EV would be available in three variants – XZ+ LUX, XZ+ and XM, the powertrain would comprise 129 PS permanent magnet AC motor powered by a 30.2 kWh lithium ion battery. The company claims that the electric motor can produce 245 Nm of instant torque from standstill as the Nexon EV boasts of acceleration figures of 0-100 in 9.9 seconds.

On the charging side, Nexon EV 's battery can be charged up to 80% within 60 minutes when plugged into a fast DC charger. The EV can also be charged using a regular 15-ampere socket, which would account for a longer charging duration.

The vehicle will also come with 35 mobile applications based on connected features such as remote commands, vehicle tracking, driving behavior analytics, navigation, locate nearby charging points, company service stations, speed alerts among others.

Tata Motors had also said that the Nexon EV would be priced in the range of ₹15-17 lakhs, thereby positioning the vehicle as the most affordable long-range EV in the domestic market until now. It is expected that the company will also share the number of initial bookings, which had opened on December 20 last month.