Delayed Nexon EV deliveries to begin soon

Customers awaiting deliveries of their Tata Nexon EV in Maharashtra can heave a sigh of relief as the state government has finally announced the process for claiming subsidies on electric vehicles. We had earlier reported that over 400 Nexon EV deliveries were held up in the state thanks to a lack of clarity on the subsidy claim process.

• Manufacturers apply for state subsidy on behalf of customers
• Vehicles registered on or after July 23, 2021 eligible
• Funds sanctioned within 90 days of filing, subject to availability

Maharashtra EV policy: what does the new statement reveal?

The Maharashtra government has clarified that until the state transport department develops and activates a new dedicated portal, vehicle manufacturers can make an account with di.maharashtra.gov.in or file an offline application to the Directorate of Industries, Mumbai if the portal is not active. The vehicle manufacturer will apply on behalf of the customer and will do so every fortnight. This application will confirm the final price of the vehicle to be paid by customers (on-road price) includng the subsidy deduction.  

Only vehicles registered on or after July 23, 2021 are eligible for the subsidy. The announcement further states that once all vehicle details are submitted, the process of verification would take around 15 days for approval, post which the subsidy amount will be refunded into the manufacturer's account within 90 days, subject to availability of funds.

The announcement also clarifies that an incentivised vehicle will not be permitted to be sold outside Maharashtra for a minimum period of 5 years from the date of registration. The state RTO will ensure that no "NOC" of such vehicles are issued.

Maharashtra EV policy: when will customers get their Nexon EV's?

Dealers tell us that Tata Motors is in the process of training their staff and customers can expect deliveries for their Nexon EVs to begin by September end or early-October. We are told the backlog has risen to around 600 units of the Nexon EV in the state which means, it could take more than a month to clear this.

The delay could also extend as bookings for the Nexon EV are still coming in. The ongoing semiconductor shortage is also adding to delays, which means that vehicles booked now could end up being delivered only by late November or December. A key point to note here is that the states early bird discount of Rs 1 lakh is eligible only on vehicles registered on or before December 31, 2021.

Tata Nexon EV deliveries: how big is the price cut?

For electric four-wheelers registered before December 31, 2021, the policy provides a basic incentive of Rs 5,000 per kWh of the vehicle battery capacity, with maximum incentive capped at Rs 1.50 lakh.  We are told that the Nexon EV XM and the XZ+ qualify for the subsidy beniefits. 

*These prices could vary depending on location. 

Buyers will also be eligible for early bird incentives (on purchase of vehicle before December 31, 2021). This implies that buyers of Nexon EV, whose variants qualify for the incentives, will get as much as Rs 2.5 lakh off - Rs 1.5 lakh as a direct subsidy and Rs 1 lakh as an early bird incentive.