Last Updated on May 19, 2022 by Asif Iqbal Shaik
The Tata Nexon TV Max was launched in India on May 11, 2022, as a long-range version of the Tata Nexon electric SUV, which was launched in 2020. While the standard Nexon EV comes with an ARAI-certified range of 312KM, the Nexon EV Max promises to deliver a driving range of up to 437KM on a single charge.
Tata Motors has crammed in a 33% bigger battery pack in the Nexon EV Max, which is now 40.5kWh as opposed to the 30.2kWh of the standard version. This has improved its driving range and its power output and torque figures have also gone up slightly. Let us have a look at the Tata Nexon EV Max real-life range below.
Tata Nexon EV Max Real-World Driving Range
The Nexon EV Max is powered by a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor that churns out 143PS of power and offers 250Nm of torque in the Sport mode. You get about 97PS and 170NM to play with in Eco and City modes. The larger battery pack coupled with the feature additions has added about 100kg to the vehicle’s overall weight. The ground clearance has gone down by 10mm, which is now 190mm.
Citing Autocar India’s driving report of the Nexon EV Max, the car returned about 6.6KM per kWh on the driver’s info display, which after a simple calculation (6.6km x 40.5kWh), gives you a real-world range of about 267km. This was when it was driven in the city in stop-and-go conditions, where the brake energy regeneration modes help to recharge the battery.
On the highways, the EV returned significantly lower efficiency, where the brake energy regeneration becomes dormant. As a result, the electric vehicle returned an efficiency of 6.4KM per kWh, translating to a highway-only range of 259KM. This is far less than the claimed ARAI range of 437KM. So, even if your friends are all set to take that Mumbai to Goa trip, your Nexon EV Max won’t let you do it easily and stress-free.
Autocar India ensured that the car was fully charged and the tyre pressure was set as per the manufacturer’s recommendation. The test was done with two people on board and the air conditioning was set to 22-degree in Auto mode and ‘Economy’ setting. To keep it as real as possible they used the infotainment system, turn indicators, and enjoyed the cooled front seats as an owner would on a regular basis.
A couple of reviews from Gaadiwaadi and ICN Studio also corroborate with Autocar India’s driving report. They too managed to extract a range of around 260-270km, with the air conditional running and maintaining speeds of 80KM/hr on the highway. Driving at lower speeds at around 60KM/hr on the highway may give you a range of 300KM on a single charge. But, driving on highways at such low speeds could be dangerous and is one of the challenges that EV owners face.
Another major challenge is the lack of charging infrastructure in India. Gaadiwadi’s host was stranded in Jaipur for four long hours just to get the Nexon EV Max recharged on Tata’s fast charger. Tata claims the Nexon EV Max can charge from 0-80% percent in just 56 minutes on a DC 50kW charger. However, not all Tata chargers are 50kW, some are 30kW as seen in the video, which may take in excess of two to 2.5 hours to charge the car.
You should also note that the fast charging of a Nexon EV Max fully costs about ₹750, which translates to roughly ₹3/KM. The difference between a top-end automatic petrol Nexon and the Nexon EV Max is roughly ₹5,00,000 to ₹6,00,000. To break even, you would need to drive the Nexon EV Max for about 60,000KM-70,000KM before enjoying the low running cost benefits. That brings us to the question, are EVs like the Nexon EV Max really worth it?
Especially, given the current situation where the charging infrastructure is not up to the mark, and auto manufacturers are learning at the expense of the early adopters.
Also, aren’t CNG cars that run at ₹3-4 per kilometre, a better option in areas where CNG is available? You can just fill it up with petrol and continue your journey if it runs out of CNG or there’s a huge queue at the filling stations. Let us know your thoughts on it in the comments section below.
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