The battle to future proof cars is getting serious by the day. In recent times, we have seen ample luxury manufacturers dipping their toes with potent offerings in the alternate powertrain segment. But more than that many carmakers are pitching in to offer affordable (though they can't be as affordable as conventional powertrain) products in the electric space. While the options are still limited, India now has a handful of choices for those who are looking to buy an electric car here. Hence if you are one of the environment-lovers here are your 5 best bets.
Tata Nexon EV
Tata Motors stirred up a storm in the EV segment with the Nexon EV. The car was launched in India at INR 13.99 lakh* undercutting the Hyundai Kona and the MG ZS EV by at least INR 6 lakh. On the outside, a few changes that differentiate the car from its ICE sibling are the front grill no more serves the purpose of feeding air into the engine and is replaced by a black gloss grille panel. The lower lip beneath the grille also comes with tri-star elements that come with blue accents to speak its electric identity. It gets bigger wheel arches and skid plates along with a raised front that gives the SUV a rather impressive look.
Tata is also offering a dual-tone paint scheme that comes with a white coloured roof. The Tata Nexon is powered by a 30.2 kWh battery pack with an IP67 rating that can also be charged using a DC charger. The battery can be charged up to 80 per cent in 1 hour. The electric motor outputs 129 PS and 245 Nm. Tata claims 300+ km on a single charge and the battery can be charged in under 8 hours with the help of a complimentary home mounted AC charger that the company will provide.
MG ZS EV
After Hector, MG’s second bet in the Indian market was in the form of the ZS EV. According to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), the ZS EV delivers a range of 428km which is marginally lower than rival Hyundai Kona Electric which returns 452km. MG is providing a 7.4kW charger (can be installed at your home or office) that can charge from 0 to 100 per cent in six to eight hours. The EV itself comes with a portable charger that can be plugged into a regular 15A power socket. This takes around 18-19 hours to fully charge the car. MG has also installed 50kW DC fast chargers at some of its dealerships. These can charge from 0 to 80 per cent in less than 50 minutes.
Powering the ZS EV is an electric motor that outputs 145 PS of power and 353Nm of torque. The figures add up to 10PS more than the Kona but 40Nm less. However, irrespective of that the car is slightly faster with an acclaimed 0-100kph time of 8.5 seconds. The electric SUV is priced starting at INR 20.99 lakh* and is offered in two variants - Excite and Exclusive. In terms of features, the car gets an 8-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a panoramic sunroof, an inbuilt air purifier, cruise control, auto AC, projector headlamps, and connected car tech.
Hyundai Kona Electric
The Kona electric gets a permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor that develops 134hp powered by a high-voltage 39.2 kWh advanced lithium-ion polymer battery. The motor develops 394.9 Nm of torque that is supplied to the front wheels giving an acceleration of 0- 100 kmph in just 9.7 seconds. The battery system comes with liquid-cooling technology and the battery pack has a high energy density. The electric car ships with a 6.9-inch infotainment system that comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Hyundai has graced the car with a digital cluster with supervision, power driver’s seat, leather ventilated seats (Front), automatic air conditioning and Smart key with push-button start.
Hyundai has equipped its electric selling dealerships with a 7.2 kW AC Charger to support customers for Kona Electric Charging. In addition to this, in select cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai) a Special Kona Electric fleet fitted with a power converter will provide emergency charging support to the customers. Also, for the convenience of customers, HMIL has tied up with MapMyIndia, to display Kona Electric compatible EV Charging Stations on HMIL Website and in Mobile App.
Mercedes-Benz EQC
The EQC gets its power from an 85kWh lithium-ion battery that is claimed to return a maximum of 400km of range on a single charge. Two asynchronous motors deliver a combined output of 408hp and 765Nm of torque. In addition to this, the company is also providing the car with a wall-mounted charger as complimentary that will be installed at whichever location, the buyer wants. The installation process will also be carried out by the company’s dealership from where the car is purchased.
On the inside, the car gets a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 12.3-inch instrument cluster which comes with connected tech and a sunroof. In terms of safety, the car gets seven airbags and Attention Assist among other notable features. Charging duties on the car takes about 10 hours for a full charge with the 7.5kW charger that comes along with the car. However, a 15A socket will extend the tie to 21 hours to be charged from ground zero. Apart from that, if one chooses to go with a 50kW DC charger, then the time comes down significantly.
Jaguar i-Pace
Jaguar i-Pace is the latest EV to launch in India and the prices for the Jaguar i-Pace starts at INR 1.05 crore*. It is available in three variants: S, SE, and HSE and gets features like dual-zone climate control, 16-way heated and ventilated memory front seats, ambient lighting, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a powered tailgate. The safety kit includes front and rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist, and six airbags.
The I-Pace is powered by two electric motors, one on each axle, with a combined power output of 400PS and 696Nm. They can individually control the wheels, which means the I-Pace has an AWD system, courtesy of which it can go from 0-100kmph in just 4.8 seconds. The electric motors draw their power from a 90kWh-battery pack, which gives it a 470km range according to the WLTP cycle. With a 7.4kWh AC wall box charger, the I-Pace can be charged from 0 to 100 per cent in almost 14 hours. Using the more powerful 50kW DC charger, the I-Pace can be charged up to 100 per cent in approximately two hours.
*Ex-showroom prices
