[TorqueIndia]

Who said lack of infrastructure ? Haha these guys of NOISE FAKTORY charges their Nexon EV using regen while towing with a Duster for a research purpose.

https://youtu.be/Hblri2FGKS0

Result- 1% per KM gain while towing at a speed of 30KMPH that's incredible. Didn't wait for TML's mobile charger, hours saved at the same time travelled 30KMs too.

Disclaimer : Includes risky driving manoeuvres that could result in damage of cars, loss of life or other properties, consider at your own risk.

[Kannan]

Originally Posted by TorqueIndia

https://Youtu.be/Hblri2FGKS0

Thanks for sharing this video and good thing these guys did this experiment. I guess this is a good especially in scenarios where people travel in groups.

But again they tried with more than 10% battery, I wonder how the system would react when it's in reserve mode? I hope the brakes in the EV would work.

[eljay]

Planning to book the top end XZ+ Lux Dark Edition, the car is a beauty ! but does anyone know if it's true that in maharashtra I will not get the 1L subsidy for XZ+ Lux , but I will get the subsidy if I book the XZ+ version ?

[Holyghost]

Originally Posted by Kannan

But again they tried with more than 10% battery, I wonder how the system would react when it's in reserve mode? I hope the brakes in the EV would work.

The brake vacuum boosters are powered by the 12v Aux battery and the Aux battery is charged/maintained by the main battery. Hence the brakes will work even after the main battery dies and will continue to work normally until your 12v Aux battery drains. After that you can still use the brakes, but the vacuum assist will not be available.

[LEGION_FIVE]

The engineer who developed the EV Travel Charging Kit has just announced his Cruise Control mod for Nexon EVs.

English version:

https://youtu.be/qkD_REgGewc

Hindi Version:

https://youtu.be/EFZPGyTdCCk

Queries and Demonstration:

https://youtu.be/Bj5Xsvqn4N4

I have no affiliation with this person. Simply sharing it here because he's doing lord's work. He's a common man who bought Nexon EV and has been sharing very useful tips and tricks to make the most out of Nexon EV, thanks to his engineering skills. He completed a 1500KM trip from Jaipur to Longewala last year (vlog of the same can be found on the channel) and has been developing desirable technologies to improve the Nexon EV. I, for one, have been eagerly watching his progress.

[auto_enthusiast]

Originally Posted by LEGION_FIVE

The engineer who developed the EV Travel Charging Kit has just announced his Cruise Control mod for Nexon EVs.

Just saw this video and the next one too. The price for cruise control is 30k and if you are an early bird, you can get if for a shade below 20k.

[DarthVeda]

I have opted for the early bird tester, for 20k, it's really worth it, can't maintain a constant speed on highway and can't drive like a free spirit yet.

[Jash2709]

I have been contemplating getting an eV since a while now. Either Nexon eV or Altroz eV (if at all it comes out soon). I had a question for the owners here.

While the eVs do sound very cost effective but are they actually so?

My current beater is Vitara Brezza Zdi+. The car’s almost 5 years old and has been driven for 90k km now and planning to replace this with an eV. I was totally bought on getting an eV ASAP considering diesel touching the 100 mark soon! But that’s when I realised! What matters is the ultimate cost of ownership.

For the sake of getting my point across I am going to be using numbers which are not exactly accurate. So please bear with that.

So I got my car for about 12.5 on road
And when I check cars24, my model, COULD fetch 8.5

So that’s 4 lacs spent for 5 years

My daily drive is a mix of city and Highway and I generally get a mileage of 16kmpl and an annual running of 18k kms.
So considering that, the fuel expenses on an average for a year come to around 90k considering the fuel increased from 62 back then to 97 today!

My 5 years of ownership has been pretty smooth. The maintenance cost I think would be around. Let’s say 10k a year considering battery change and regular service etc. Not including tyres, brake pads etc which would be common in both cars!

So the cost of ownership translates to about 1.8 lacs a year!

Now, moving on to Nexon here, I plan on getting the mid variant which could cost me around 14 lacs tops considering the 2.5L subsidy in Maharashtra. And say 20k of electricity charges a year.
Now the ultimate question being the resale of this car! EVs are yet unknown entities here and considering the battery technology improvement, 5 years later I am not sure if Nexon’s battery and technology would still be meaningful and in demand with the time then!
Plus a slew of eVs might appear in the next 2-3 years!
So if I don’t get a good resale value, this car might turn out to be more expensive than a car which gulps down diesel @100₹/L!
A resale value of less than 5lacs makes brezza a good deal!
So should I hold onto brezza and wait for better eVs in the market in the next 2-3 years or get the Nexon now? Brezza is in a pretty good condition and runs amazingly well though a clutch overhaul is approaching fast!

Insights would really help! Thank you!

[LeoRBK]

Originally Posted by Jash2709

I have been contemplating getting an eV since a while now. Either Nexon eV or Altroz eV (if at all it comes out soon). I had a question for the owners here.
...

Hello Jash2709,

Glad to hear that you are considering an EV. Buying an EV is like taking a step forward in the right direction. You choice of EVs both Nexon and Altroz appear capable for our Indian urban runs.
To control the cost of ownership may I suggest you enquire with the dealer possibility to take out extended warranty as the standard warranty of 3 years appears to be rather limiting. It will also be worthwhile to enquire the cost of a service plan which seems to be one way to keep a tab on costs.
The only other variable would be electricity costs which are always on the rise (albeit not as much as Diesel or Petrol price rise). Do you have an option to produce your own electricity using Solar ? I know it is a hefty investment but pays back in long term.
Regarding resale value, I am always told that EVs hold their resale value much better than fossil fuel cars. Here in UK, we have examples of 2013 Renault ZOE and Nissan Leafs selling for handsome price by the market standards. I must admit that brands like Tesla are fetching better resale value and I think it is because of customer confidence in the brand. Tata's were not known to inspire customer confidence but I understand that this sentiment is now on decline.

Please keep in mind the fact that EV demand across the world is on the rise and Lithium is in short supply. We are experiencing a wait time of upto 6 months on new EVs in UK which is not helped by Semiconductor shortage. This is one of the reason why traditional manufacturer do not commit to EV as they cannot produce enough in the coming years. This unfortunate situation plays into hands of those lucky who managed to buy an EV, it indirectly guarantees a high resale price for EVs for coming years due to adverse demand supply situation.

Regarding battery technology, I expect it to improve over time but that should not affect the value of the car as long as it delivers close to advertised range.

May I suggest you to do your research on your usage requirements and compare it against the advertised range for the EVs you shortlisted. Unfortunately not many EVs manufacturers in India are publishing WLTP ranges, so asking around might be best bet.
If at all possible, it might be a good idea to hire an EV for a few days and try it.
There is a lifestyle change with EVs and how much it affects you depends on your usage requirements.

Wish you all the best.

[Holyghost]

Originally Posted by Jash2709

Plus a slew of eVs might appear in the next 2-3 years!
So if I don’t get a good resale value, this car might turn out to be more expensive than a car which gulps down diesel @100₹/L!
A resale value of less than 5lacs makes brezza a good deal!
So should I hold onto brezza and wait for better eVs in the market in the next 2-3 years or get the Nexon now? Brezza is in a pretty good condition and runs amazingly well though a clutch overhaul is approaching fast!

Insights would really help! Thank you!

Since you mentioned highway drives, my suggestion would be to wait for sometime and buy a vehicle with atleast 300KMs range. 350KM is the sweet spot for my long distance drives. Nexon EV under normal driving conditions gives 200KM range which makes it a city car. I have been using my Nexon EV for an year and did a couple of 800KM drives. I had to stop for fast charging at 5 places at 60KM, 220KM, 370KM, 510KM and at 694KM. These stops made my usual 14Hour trip into a 19Hour travel. I could have skipped the charging stop at 60KM, but I will have to drive extremely slow to reach the charger located at 220KM.

With a vehicle with 350KM range, I only have to stop once for full charge followed by a 10-15min topup near destination. I can easily combine those charging stops when I stop for food or snacks. That would mean my travel time remains same as that of my ICE car.

[Jash2709]

Originally Posted by Holyghost

Since you mentioned highway drives, my suggestion would be to wait for sometime and buy a vehicle with atleast 300KMs range. 350KM is the sweet spot for my long distance drives. Nexon EV under normal driving conditions gives 200KM range which makes it a city car. I have been using my Nexon EV for an year and did a couple of 800KM drives. I had to stop for fast charging at 5 places at 60KM, 220KM, 370KM, 510KM and at 694KM. These stops made my usual 14Hour trip into a 19Hour travel. I could have skipped the charging stop at 60KM, but I will have to drive extremely slow to reach the charger located at 220KM.

With a vehicle with 350KM range, I only have to stop once for full charge followed by a 10-15min topup near destination. I can easily combine those charging stops when I stop for food or snacks. That would mean my travel time remains same as that of my ICE car.

Thank you for the prompt reply!
The eV is going to be my car for work commute only and I am okay with a range around 200km or a bit less for that matter cos the car would be charged everyday.
What I am trying to understand here is the cost effectiveness of getting an eV in the first place. Since I have no idea of the resale and there are no buy-backs from companies. It’s a serious dilemma

[Jash2709]

Originally Posted by LeoRBK

Hello Jash2709, Do you have an option to produce your own electricity using Solar ? I know it is a hefty investment but pays back in long term.
Regarding resale value, I am always told that EVs hold their resale value much better than fossil fuel cars. Here in UK, we have examples of 2013 Renault ZOE and Nissan Leafs selling for handsome price by the market standards. I must admit that brands like Tesla are fetching better resale value and I think it is because of customer confidence in the brand. Tata's were not known to inspire customer confidence but I understand that this sentiment is now on decline.


Wish you all the best.

Thank you for the reply.
I don’t think solar is viable for me at this point. Also, I plan to charge at my work place where electricity is charged to me at ~5/ unit flat.

I am not sure how the Indian car market scenario compares with the one at EU. India is still at a nascent stage while European markets are pretty accepting to eVs with infra extensively setup. Moreover few countries have already made switch to eVs on war footing. So the demand there and in India is something that is difficult to compare in my opinion.

[shortbread]

Originally Posted by Jash2709

Thank you for the reply.
I don’t think solar is viable for me at this point. Also, I plan to charge at my work place where electricity is charged to me at ~5/ unit flat.

If you are able to install solar then it's an excellent long term investment because rest assured per unit rates in India will climb rapidly as electricity consumption/demand is bound to take off. Solar enables you to produce your own fuel for transportation. Albeit this is a challenge if one resides in an apartment complex.

[padmrajravi]

Originally Posted by LEGION_FIVE

The engineer who developed the EV Travel Charging Kit has just announced his Cruise Control mod for Nexon EVs.

English version:
https://Youtu.be/qkD_REgGewc

That is a cool effort. If that works as advertised, he has opened up a lot of mod potential for the Nexon EV, and probably all EVs from Tata. Tata BCMs and ECMs are usually tough to tamper with without specialized software that costs a lot of money. Or maybe he did not touch the ECM or BCM at all and only played with the signal voltages corresponding to the accelerator input. Either way, it is a great feature for the Nexon EV.

[LeoRBK]

Originally Posted by Jash2709

Thank you for the reply.
====
So the demand there and in India is something that is difficult to compare in my opinion.

As I already mentioned, EVs will be in short supply due to resource constraints.
Demand supply gap will keep the EV resale values above that of similar age fossil fuel cars. This is the trend we see worldwide and I do not see why India is an exception.