[AutoV]

Introduction
Hi, petrolheads please help me choose the right car for me and my family.
A little background about me I'm a 23-year-old engineer and I'm planning to start my own construction company in the coming month. My first project site will be at a distance of 30kms from my house and I need to visit the site daily until it is finished. We currently have a 2019 Hyundai Venue which my dad uses for this office and a 2014 Ford Endeavour 3.0ltr. The endeavour gives an average of about 7-8kms in the city. So, I've decided to buy an Electric vehicle. With daily usage of 60-90kms, I think it's better to go for an electric vehicle as my running costs will be low and maintenance will also be lower than conventional cars. My sisters might also use the car sometimes. The range is not really a concern as I'm planning to use it only in the city and any range above 200kms is fine.

Cars in Consideration

1. MG ZS EV
2. Tata Nexon EV

1. MG ZS EV
I took an extended test drive of the ZS EV for 3 days and checked if the vehicle suits the daily needs and if it can really substitute a conventional car. The dealership support was very good they offered to give the vehicle for 3 days and had kept in touch and the advisor called me daily for those 3 days to know my feedback.

Positives
1. It drove really well the ride quality was great
2. It has got disc breaks all around was impressed by the stopping power
3. Large boot space of 470litres (I can use the space to stuff some material for the construction site)
4. NVH levels were good
5. Panoramic Sunroof
6. 10inch infotainment screen (on 2022 model)
7. 6 Airbags, 5 star NCAP, ESP, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Hill Descent, Hill-start and ABS with EBD.
8. Front seats felt supportive and three people can sit at the back.

Negatives
1. Poor Headlights (2022 model is set to come with a LED setup)
2. No proper cabin light at the back
3. The charging port location. It could easily damage if there's a front end collision even with a bike.
4. plastic quality at some places was not great
5. High price compared to the Nexon


2.Tata Nexon EV
I haven't taken a test drive of the car yet. The vehicle was not available at my nearest dealer. But from what I've seen and read here on the forum Here are my views on the car.

Positives
1.5 Star NCAP rating
2.More decent ride than Nexon diesel but MG has a superior ride quality
3. Best VFM product when compared to MG.

Negatives
1. Low boot space compared to the MG
2. Low cabin space and higher floor pan at the back
3. Low range compared to MG
4. Tyres have low grip
5. NVH is not up to the mark.
6. Online horror stories about vehicle breakdowns and issues.

I'm planning to keep the vehicle for 5-7 years and need a reliable car with good after-sales service. Tata's service centres are not easy to deal with and I'm not too confident about MG too as they are relatively new. The Nexon EV LUX variant is priced at an on-road price of 18.41l in Hyderabad. the long-range version is expected to come soon and might cost 1-2L more making it in between 18-20L.
MG ZS EV Exclusive is 26L on-road and the 2022 version might be 1-2lakhs costlier making it 27-28L.
I'm really confused about which car to buy as buying the Nexon EV might save me 8L which I can invest in my company but I'm not sure and scared about the issues the Nexon EV had. I need trouble-free ownership and a reliable car. BHPians please help me out here.
*Moderators please excuse me if I've made any mistakes this is my first thread

[GTO]

I think it's very clear. If you can afford the ZS EV, go for it as it is clearly the superior EV. I have spent some time with the car and it is way more sorted, and mature as an electric car than the Nexon EV. It's evident from your list of negatives which aren't really negatives at all. The facelift / update launch is happening anytime now.

Main downside of the ZS EV = it's expensive. If you want to save a couple of lakhs, choose the Nexon EV. It is also a very good car. Just that the ZS EV is a more polished electric car.

This decision is purely driven by how much you want to spend.

[Shreyans_Jain]

ZS EV is by all means the superior car. If you have the budget, just go for it. Between the much better appointed cabin and the 40% bigger battery, it is worth it. Just that, I will strongly suggest you go for the facelifted model which is just a few weeks from launch.

[raghupro]

Originally Posted by AutoV

I'm really confused about which car to buy as buying the Nexon EV might save me 8L which I can invest in my company but I'm not sure and scared about the issues the Nexon EV had. I need trouble-free ownership and a reliable car. BHPians please help me out here.
*Moderators please excuse me if I've made any mistakes this is my first thread

Sailed in a similar boat in in same city as you hail from. Test driven the MG ZS EV first and then the nexon EV. As others say, the ZS is a superior car to Nexon if you can afford those extra few lakhs.

I pre-booked the ZS 2022 version and willing to wait few months for it.

The issues I had with Nexon was not so convenient ride position, the default KERS levels that needs some getting used to, smaller cabin space and sub-par range on highways for my requirement.

Compare the Nexon top end with base variant of ZS, which are fairly comparable sans some features, the price difference is just around 4 lakhs which makes it worth it for the ZS.

As of now I reserved the base variant but quite tempted to upgrade to the higher variant. Will consider once the 2022 version is launched, features and price revealed.

[ron178]

Originally Posted by AutoV

Positives
1.5 Star NCAP rating

The EV version does not share the NCAP rating of the petrol car. The EV version is a different car altogether, not just a variant of the Nexon. Since it is such a popular car in its class, the GNCAP is very likely to pick it up anonymously at a dealer and test it from FIA/Bloomberg funds sometime. Tata's communication stating that the car is built on a '5-star Nexon platform' does not imply that the EV version shares the same NCAP rating.

The Indian version of the ZS EV does not have a valid NCAP rating either. However, with side and curtain airbags and ESC, if you are factoring safety into your purchase decision then that's the one I would recommend if you are willing to stretch.

Good luck with your purchase and please keep us posted. Looking forward to an ownership review

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

Mod Note : Please quote ONLY the relevant bits of a post. Quoting a full, long post inconveniences our mobile readers.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by AutoV

Introduction
Hi, petrolheads please help me choose the right car for me and my family.
A little background about me I'm a 23-year-old engineer and I'm planning to start my own construction company in the coming month. My first project site will be at a distance of 30kms from my house and I need to visit the site daily until it is finished. We currently have a 2019 Hyundai Venue which my dad uses for this office and a 2014 Ford Endeavour 3.0ltr. The endeavour gives an average of about 7-8kms in the city. So, I've decided to buy an Electric vehicle. With daily usage of 60-90kms, I think it's better to go for an electric vehicle as my running costs will be low and maintenance will also be lower than conventional cars. My sisters might also use the car sometimes. The range is not really a concern as I'm planning to use it only in the city and any range above 200kms is fine.

Hello!, so even my family had this same dilemma before we bought the 2021 ZS EV. After having it for about 6 months now, we don't regret our decision. if you can spend the extra cash over the Nexon, definitely go for it. If you'd like a more detailed review, I've put up a post on my page! I'll link it below.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...ml#post5230804 (My transition to Electric Vehicles | MG ZS EV and Ather 450 Plus)

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by AutoV

Introduction
Hi, petrolheads please help me choose the right car for me and my family.

Originally Posted by GTO

I think it's very clear. If you can afford the ZS EV, go for it as it is clearly the superior EV.
.
.
This decision is purely driven by how much you want to spend.

Welcome to TBHP and to your first thread. Very nicely and clearly spelt out query and you've hit the correct research points too that are relevant to you.

I've driven both cars and my opinion is exactly everything above mentioned in GTO's post. Range and internal space are two key differentiators (among many others of course) but these are not parameters where either option doesn't work for you. Either of these cars will meet your requirements just fine and it really comes down to what you want to spend.

The MG will offer the nicer drive and ownership feel on every front but the Nexon is not shabby either by any measure. Pick a budget and go for the car accordingly.

[Chrome6Boy]

I was in the same boat last October.

We booked the ZS EV Excite model which was cheaper by almost 3 lakhs but missing a few features which weren't that important to us, you might want to take a look at that. An additional advantage is that MG doesn't skimp on safety features on the lower models.

Our dealer said that the 2021 model is all sold out and we really don't know the features, battery size or the price of the 2022 ZS model. Judging by the UK release it looks like a fairly big change.

The reasons we decided against the Nexon are as follows.

1. Impossible to get a test drive for the Nexon (4 trips to the dealership and multiple phone calls and online test drive bookings). Looks like they are overbooked and just don't want to sell this car which is a crying shame.

2. No cruise control, I drive 50% highway and cruise control is a great way to extend range on EVs. I love using it on my Vento TSI and will really miss it.

3. No adjustable regen. When we test drove the ZS this really gave us a lot of control over our driving style. One pedal driving was also possible. I don't believe we should be handcuffed in this regard.

4. I haven't driven the Nexon EV, but the acceleration in the ZS is just ridiculous in sports mode. The Nexon has lesser power and if you can afford the ZS that acceleration will never get old.

5. Even though you said range doesn't really matter, if you can afford it, a higher range is never a bad thing to have.

A big negative in my opinion with the ZS EV is the extra charge you may have to pay for the installation of the charger in your home. While the charger and installation itself is free (included in the price of the ZS), you most likely will have to fork out money to your state electricity board for enhancement of the load to accommodate the 7.5 KWHr charger. In some parts of the country it runs into the tens of thousands for this enhancement. The Nexon charges with any old 16A plug so no issues there.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by Chrome6Boy

A big negative in my opinion with the ZS EV is the extra charge you may have to pay for the installation of the charger in your home. While the charger and installation itself is free (included in the price of the ZS), you most likely will have to fork out money to your state electricity board for enhancement of the load to accommodate the 7.5 KWHr charger. In some parts of the country it runs into the tens of thousands for this enhancement. The Nexon charges with any old 16A plug so no issues there.

People living in villas and bungalows tend to have higher sanctioned loads on their power connections. Even if you have to upgrade, I see it as future proofing. AC fast charging allows you to charge 3 times faster without compromising battery life. All internationally sold EVs support AC fast charging. Nexon not supporting AC fast charging, and it’s DC charging being limited to 25kw is actually a letdown.

In any case, you can charge the ZS EV on a 15 amp plug just like a Nexon EV. Just that, juicing up that 45kwh battery at 3kw from zero will take about 15 hours. The 7kw AC charger will tank it up in 6-7hours. Nexon gets away with it simply because the battery pack is much smaller.

[Chrome6Boy]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

People living in villas and bungalows tend to have higher sanctioned loads on their power connections. Even if you have to upgrade, I see it as future proofing. AC fast charging allows you to charge 3 times faster without compromising battery life. All internationally sold EVs support AC fast charging. Nexon not supporting AC fast charging, and it’s DC charging being limited to 25kw is actually a letdown.

In any case, you can charge the ZS EV on a 15 amp plug just like a Nexon EV. Just that, juicing up that 45kwh battery at 3kw from zero will take about 15 hours. The 7kw AC charger will tank it up in 6-7hours. Nexon gets away with it simply because the battery pack is much smaller.

I believe the sanctioned load for houses / villas, atleast in Tamilandu, is insufficient for the charger provided by MG. However other states may vary. Here is a post (3 Nights & 2 days with the MG ZS EV - Extended Test Drive & Review) from another thread about a person living in Tamilnadu explaining what he went through for getting his charger installed. He does live in an apartment. But he does detail how much he needed to pay to get the increase in the sanctioned load.

But, like you said, I decided to not install the charger at home and instead plan to charge with a normal 16A plug. I will be installing the charger in our work place which has sufficient sanctioned load for this purpose.

[zandot]

With MG dealers quoting 7-8 months waiting for the ZS EV and Tata having a waiting period of over 6 months for the Nexon EV.. I would probably go for whichever one I could get my hands on first

[DarthVeda]

Being an owner of Nexon EV, I would suggest you go for the upcoming facelift of ZS EV. The Nexon EV, while being a good starter car for EV, lacks in few vital departments, and the range being around 200-220km might be a problem for your occasional long journeys. Even if you have chargers on the way, the IOT of the chargers makes it risky, you never know when the signal might go or when you reach you might find 2 cars waiting and all these things happening.
These types of experiences will be lessened when you have minimum 300km range on ZS EV. Not to forget, the ZS EV can charge at 50kwh or even at 25kwh, while the nexon EV is limited to 21kwh.

The only thing the Nexon has going for it is that it is cheaper when compared to ZS EV and that it is "Indian".

[brt_mhn]

Originally Posted by AutoV

Introduction
Hi, petrolheads please help me choose the right car for me and my family.

In my opinion, if you intend on using it as a family car and don’t need the extra range, I’d strongly recommend that you get a Nexon. This is what I would have done too as I found that the rear seat of the Nexon is far more comfier. I also felt that the Nexon had a tougher vibe to it. Having said that, the ZS is not a bad car either and having had one for 5 months now, it’s been a pretty great experience. Road tripping should be equally fine in either of the cars though. But I do suggest you book that Nexon EV Test Drive as soon as possible.

However, we did end up getting the 2021 iteration of the ZS EV (Excite)

My two threads documenting the experience so far:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...-5-months.html

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...-mg-zs-ev.html (A 1000+ km road-trip in an MG ZS EV)

[Sandegov]

For a strictly 60-90km city use and with others cars available in your garage for outstation trips - I would get the Nexon EV and put the remaining money on a rooftop solar and drive the car free of cost

A 5kwp rooftop system should give you approx 5x4x30=600 units per month and that should give you 600/30=20 full charges for nexon and @180km per charge you have about 180x20=3600km at your disposal per month

And with you starting a business, I believe you get a good depreciation claim for your solar setup too. Am no finance expert so please double check on this.

Our roof top solar was one of the best spends for us in recent times. We don’t have an EV yet but our next city use car is definitely an EV without a second consideration.

.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by Sandegov

A 5kwp rooftop system should give you approx 5x4x30=600 units per month and that should give you 600/30=20 full charges for nexon and @180km per charge you have about 180x20=3600km at your disposal per month

Our roof top solar was one of the best spends for us in recent times. We don’t have an EV yet but our next city use car is definitely an EV without a second consideration.

.

A bit off topic

I find the figures quoted rather optimistic. My 10kw solar setup (mono perc panels) has been averaging less than 400 units a month ever since Diwali. We need to take into account pollution and smog, which reduce output by anything from 50-90% of peak summer performance. My power plant has delivered 55units a day in clear summer, and has gone as low as 2-5 units a day in smoggy winter. This first week of February 2022 has given me 61units in total.

This loss of output due to pollution is never taken into account during their fancy presentations and totally skews the return projections. The plant effectively operates at 25-30% capacity for 4 months every year. People must consider their location and ambient pollution/dust/smog levels before deciding to go solar.

For what it is worth, I had also installed the solar setup with the idea of getting an EV and driving for free.