A complaint was filed with Delhi govt by a Tata Nexon EV owner stating that while the company claimed a mileage of 312 km on a single charge, his vehicle never provided a range more than 200 km.
Following a complaint by a Tata Nexon EV owner filed almost a week ago, the Delhi government has decided to suspend additional subsidy given under its Delhi EV Policy to Tata Nexon EV XZ+ electric SUV. Kailash Gahlot, Delhi Transport Minister took on to Twitter to announce the delisting of the car after receiving complaints from an owner of the said model. The owner, in his complaint, said that despite the company claiming a mileage of 312 km on a single charge, he barely got more than 200 km.
The complainant said he also went to Tata dealerships multiple times to get the issue resolved but to no avail. He finally resorted to sending a complaint to Delhi govt as he bought the vehicle under the EV policy of the Delhi government. The Delhi government had also issued a showcause notice to Tata Motors and sought its reply in the matter.
Tata Motors had submitted its reply on the matter and said that the aforementioned mileage of 312 km is basis on ARAI testing, the nodal agency that is responsible to vehicle testing ahead of launches. Tata also said that like other vehicles, where mileage is affected by driving style, roads, usage of AC among other things, Nexon EV will also deliver mileage less than the claimed number, or sometimes, more than the claimed number.
But the government said that the sole piece of evidence is not sufficient to displace the basis of the complaint. and Delhi government found the reply to be non-satisfactory.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot tweeted, “The Delhi government has decided to suspend subsidy on an EV car model, pending final report of a committee, due to complaints by multiple users of sub-standard range performance. We are committed to support EVs, but not at the cost of trust and confidence of citizens in claims by manufacturers.”
Reacting to the development, a Tata Motors spokesperson said: “It is unfortunate to receive this order from the Delhi Transport Commission. We will continue to engage constructively to protect the interests of our customers. Nexon EV is the only personal segment EV available in the market today that meets the stringent FAME norms.”
Besides, the spokesperson cited that as with conventional vehicles (with IC engines), the actual range achieved in EVs is dependent on AC usage, individual driving style and the actual conditions in which the vehicle is driven.
“The range achievement is also a function of familiarity with the new technology, and customers report improvements upwards of 10 per cent within 4-6 weeks of familiarity. We have been receiving several positive testimonials from our customers and are encouraged to see them exploring new places with Nexon EV and sharing their experiences.
“We are extremely confident about the value proposition of the Nexon EV, which since its launch a year ago, has consistently grown in popularity to become India’s largest selling EV with thousands of families enjoying the pleasure of owning and driving it,” the spokesperson said.
