Tata Motors has taken the Indian EV quad market by storm with impressive products like the Tigor EV, Nexon EV and Nexon EV Max. It all started with the Nexon Electric and the company is also expected to launch an electric version of the Altroz premium hatchback.
Currently, Tata Motors is the leading manufacturer of 4W EVs in the country. They had a head start while other manufacturers are still considering the venture. We recently saw the Nexon EV turn into a fireball in Maharashtra. But it's the very first four-wheeled EV fire hazard ever recorded, and luckily the Nexon EV warned before the fire broke out and asked the owner to get out.
Electric Battery Replacement Cost
Recently, a Nexon Electric owner took to social media to share his experience with his EV. According to the owner, he drove his Nexon EV 68,000 km in two years. After this kilometer driven, the range of his Nexon EV decreased and also the car would not drive when the battery level drops below 15%. This is a strange example of battery behavior. But as it was under warranty, Tata Motors replaced the old battery with a new one without any additional cost to the owner.
When the owner asked the dealer about the actual cost of the new battery, they quoted Rs. 7,00,000. Yes, Rs.7 lakhs. This Rs. 7,00,000 price has actually not been officially revealed by Tata Motors. The owner has driven an average of 2,833 km per month after simplification. Simplifying further, it works out to 95 km per day. Most owners are not going to drive 95 km a day.
This particular Nexon EV owner has specific commuting needs that are not mainstream. At a price of Rs. 7,00,000, seems like a fair price for a technology that is still young in India. When it comes to electric cars in India, batteries are not manufactured here. They must be specifically designed for the application. With time and more localization and mass production, battery prices will come down. In a world where Apple's bloated Mac Pro can cost Rs. 50 lakhs (I kid you not), a 30.3 kWh EV battery for Rs. 7,00,000 are eligible.
Running Costs
The EV will cost around Rs. 1 to Rs. 1.6 to cover 1 km distance. Compared to an ICE vehicle with an efficiency of 20 kmpl, it costs around Rs. 5. And FYI, Nexon EV batteries don't exactly die at 68,000km for everyone. Battery degradation is based on the number of charge-discharge cycles, charging temperature, charger capacity and thousands of other parameters.
If you drive 70,000 km for consistent performance, if you drive 50 km a day every day, the Tata Nexon EV battery can still offer solid performance for around 4 years. Tata Motors warranty covers the battery if the performance decreases. So in theory your Nexon EV will be solid for another 4 years. However, it is not all good. Cases like these raise further doubts in the minds of potential EV buyers, and the aftermarket demand for EVs will definitely be lower. Right now, the Tata Nexon EV starts at Rs. 14.78 lakh and the Nexon EV Max starts from Rs. 17.74 lakh (both ex-sh).
Info Source: RushLane