Tata Nexon EV SUV to debut in India on December 19
Tata Motors has announced that it will unveil the Tata Nexon EV on December 19 in Mumbai. The Nexon EV is the first of a full line of electric vehicles from the brand which will be based on the new Ziptron architecture. As was expected, the Nexon EV will also debut the new facelift design for the Nexon SUV. The SUV was earlier scheduled to debut on December 17, ahead of its launch in early 2020.
Tata Motors has said that the Nexon EV will be priced between Rs 15 and 17 lakh. This means that it will undercut the Hyundai Kona EV, its closest competitor as of now quite handily. The Tata Nexon EV will likely go up against the MG ZS EV, that debuted in India on December 5.
The Nexon EV is expected to get an all-new front fascia, which it may share with the facelifted Nexon as well. This means a more aggressive front-end with slimmer headlamps, reminiscent of the Range Rover Evoque. The Nexon EV will get a redesigned semi-digital instrument cluster, as seen on the Altroz. The video makes us think that this might have the same basic layout as that of the Harrier's set-up but will come with unique dials to suit its powertrain. So expect a different colour theme, a charge/power dial and a battery status bar. The speedometer is an analogue dial.
The Nexon EV will feature the brand's Ziptron EV architecture. The Nexon will have a range of over 250km and come with an eight-year battery warranty. These will power a 300-Volt permanent magnet synchronous motor and use a single-speed transmission. The battery packs will use lithium-ion cells and come with an IP67 rating, one of the highest for dust protection and waterproofing. The battery packs will be encased in high-strength steel cases and be liquid-cooled, keeping typical Indian heat and summers in mind to avoid deterioration over prolonged use. Both regular and fast charging capabilities are expected although the charge times haven't been revealed.
The new Nexon EV is also expected to come with a suite of connected car tech, as seen on cars like the Venue, Seltos and Hector. Like with those cars, the built-in SIM will allow the car's functions like engine start-stop, HVAC controls to be remotely accessed through an app. There will be geofencing, driving data, vehicle diagnostics, and other features built-in. Further, this tech is also expected to make its way to the Altroz soon.
Also see: Tata Nexon EV | First Drive Review