Tata Nexon EV prices down by up to Rs 85,000; EV Max gets more range

Tata Motors has reduced prices for the Nexon EV and also introduced a new trim in the Max line-up. Prices for the Tata Nexon EV now start at Rs 14.49 lakh for the Prime versions and top out at Rs 18.99 lakh for the Max, both prices ex-showroom, India. The Nexon EV Max now also sees a bump in its claimed range, which is now rated at 453km.

The price reduction is a response to the new Mahindra XUV400, the prices of which were announced just two days ago. At launch, the XUV400 undercut the Nexon EV by Rs 85,000 for the top-spec variant. Now, however, both models top out exactly at Rs 18.99 lakh. 

1. Nexon EV's new starting price undercuts XUV400 by Rs 1.5 lakh
2. Nexon EV Max range has been increased via a software update
3. Existing EV Max customers will also benefit from added range

Prices for the Nexon EV have come down by Rs 50,000 for the base trim, while the fully-loaded Max XZ+ Lux variant sees a price drop of Rs 85,000. Here's by how much each variant of the Nexon EV has become affordable:

Here's how the Nexon EV stacks up against the new Mahindra XUV400, along with the ZS EV and Kona Electric.

Tata Nexon EV: more affordable

Tata says prices for the Nexon EV have been reduced on account of the government’s PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) scheme that incentivises electric vehicle manufacturing in the country. However, the price reduction is also a strategic move to counter the XUV400 which is the Nexon EV's first and only direct rival. For reference, the XUV400 is priced between Rs 15.99 lakh-16.49 lakh for the base EC trim that comes with the smaller 34.5kWh battery, while the EL variant with the larger 39.4kWh battery is priced at Rs 18.99 lakh. 

Tata have so far enjoyed unrivalled dominance in the mass-market EV segment, and the XUV400 is the first real challenge to that dominance. It remains to be seen how the rivalry pans out now that both models are priced and positioned almost identically to each other.

Tata Nexon EV Max: gets more range

Tata Motors has also updated the Nexon EV Max with more range – it's now bumped up to 453km (MIDC cycle), which is 16km more than the previously claimed range of 437km. There is, however, no upgrade to the 40.5kWh battery, and this has been made possible via a software update. The updated range, too, is astonishingly close to the 456km claimed range (MIDC) of the XUV400 EV. 

Existing owners of the Nexon EV Max will also benefit from this updated range that will be made available to them via a software update from February 15. There's, however, no range update on the Prime versions that come with a smaller 30.2kWh battery. 

Tata Nexon EV Max: gets new XM trim

The Nexon EV Max also sees the addition of a new entry-level XM trim. Priced at Rs 16.49 lakh, it's pretty well loaded with features like an electronic parking brake, automatic climate control, ESP, projector headlamps with LED DRLs, push-button start, digital TFT Instrument Cluster, connected car tech and rear disc brakes.

This also massively brings down the entry point to the Max variants, prices of which previously started at Rs 18.34 lakh. Deliveries for the new EV Max XM variant will commence from April 2023 onwards.