Introduction

Tata Motors has recently unveiled the Dark Edition for its long-range electric SUV, the Nexon EV Max. In this article, we explore the design, features, and specifications of this vehicle to give you a better understanding of all that the Dark Edition of the Nexon EV Max has to offer.

What is it?

Tata Motors introduced its Dark Edition range in models like the Harrier and the Safari. Later, the standard Nexon EV received the Dark Edition treatment in July 2021. The brand then launched a long-range version of the Nexon EV, called the EV Max, in May 2022. Previously, the EV Max also had the Jet Edition which was later discontinued. Now, the e-SUV has undergone a black makeover with the introduction of the Dark Edition. The Nexon EV Max Dark is available in two variants — XZ+ LUX and XZ+ LUX, with a 7.2kW AC wall box charger.

How is it on the outside?

The exterior of the EV Max Dark Edition immediately draws attention with its striking colour scheme. The vehicle is coated in a brand new Midnight Black paint, befitting its name. Almost all the blue elements have been replaced with black colour, except for the lower grille and fog lamp housing. This gives the car a sleek and elegant look.

As for the 16-inch alloy wheels, they are painted in Charcoal Black and go well with the overall aesthetic of this all-electric compact SUV.

The SUV also gets a #Dark mascot on each side fender.

Other notable highlights on the outside include a Satin Black humanity line, projector headlamps with tri-arrow DRLs, arrow-shaped LED tail lights, an electric sunroof, a shark-fin antenna, and roof rails.

In terms of dimensions, the Nexon EV Max Dark Edition is 3,993mm long, 1,811mm wide, and has a height of 1,616mm. It gets a generous amount of space in the cabin too, thanks to its 2,498mm wheelbase. The boot space on offer is 350 litres, which is equivalent to the standard ICE-powered Nexon.

Meanwhile, the EV Max still doesn’t get the ‘Max’ badging on the rear to distinguish itself from the standard Nexon EV.

How is it on the inside?

Stepping inside the cabin, we are greeted by an all-black interior theme with a tri-arrow pattern at various places, like the seat upholstery and centre console. The dashboard now features a new display right in the centre. That said, the layout is largely the same as the standard Nexon EV Max.

Another noticeable highlight is the blue stitching, which can be seen on the seat fabric and leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Plus, the #Dark logo is embossed on the headrests of the seats.

Then, the blue accents have been carried over on the inside with garnish on the dashboard, AC vents, instrument cluster housing, and centre console.

What’s on the feature list?

The biggest change with the Dark Edition of EV Max is the inclusion of some features which are only available with the recently updated Harrier and Safari.

The new 10.25-inch Harman-sourced touchscreen infotainment unit has been directly carried over from the elder siblings. It also gets wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Then, there is a voice assistance system in six different regional languages and over 200+ commands in languages like English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, and more.

Not to mention, there is a similar jewelled control knob or gear-mode selector dial in the centre console.

Other key features include an electronic parking brake with auto hold, ventilated front seats, an air purifier, a wireless charger, automatic climate control, and cruise control. It also gets a seven-inch instrument cluster, auto-dimming IRVM, auto headlamps, sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, smart key with push start/stop button, and eight speaker setup.

In terms of safety, the Nexon EV Max is loaded to the brim with features like ESP, hill ascent and descent control, i-TPMS, six airbags, ABS with EBD, and a reverse parking camera.

This Tata electric car also gets a smart connectivity suite with ZConnect mobile app, smartwatch connectivity, location-based services, and more.

What is it powered by?

The Max in the Nexon EV Max stands for maximum range and it delivers just that with a battery pack bigger than the regular Nexon EV. The compact electric SUV is powered by a 40.5kWh battery pack that delivers energy to the front-wheel-mounted electric motor. This motor generates 141bhp and 250Nm of torque. The EV Max is capable of returning 453km of claimed range on a full charge with a zero to 100kmph acceleration time of under nine seconds.

Also on offer is multi regen modes with four levels, three drive modes including Eco, City, and Sport, and all disc brakes setup.

Then, to juice it up, the electric SUV gets three charging options. First, a 3.3kW home wall AC charger which can charge the vehicle up from 10 to 100 per cent in 15 hours. Then there is the 7.2kW home AC fast charger with a zero to 100 per cent charging time of 6.5 hours. The vehicle also supports DC fast charger which takes an estimated 56 minutes for zero to 80 per cent charge.

As for the warranty, the automaker is offering an eight-year or 1,60,000km warranty (whichever is earlier) on the battery pack as well as the motor of the Nexon EV Max.

What about the pricing and competition?

The Indian carmaker has priced the Tata Nexon EV Max Dark Edition at Rs. 19.04 lakh and Rs. 19.54 lakh (all prices ex-showroom) for the XZ+ LUX and XZ+ LUX with a 7.2kW AC fast charger variant, respectively. Currently, the Nexon EV Max Dark has only a handful of competitors including the Mahindra XUV400, MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona in India.