Top India Bound EVs: Hyundai Kona, Mahindra S210, Tiago EV and More

There is little doubt that the future of mobility is electric. With an all-encompassing transition happening all over the world, where most car manufacturers and governments have started placing their bets on electric cars and started ditching conventionally powered ones, India is still to see a full-fledged jump onto the electric bandwagon. However, with more emphasis on green mobility and the government also providing impetus to promote electric cars in the country, we are on the cusp of a major influx of EVs in India.

Here’s a list of the most awaited electric cars coming to India over the next two years.      

Renault Kwid EV

The Kwid is amongst the most affordable hatchbacks in the country and Renault is already working on an all-electric version of the car. Showcased at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, the Kwid Electric, or K-ZE as it’s actually called, has been developed by e-GT New Energy Automotive Co. The company is a joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Group (China) and Nissan. K-ZE is short for Kwid Zero Emissions, and that’s no surprise considering there’s no internal combustion engine under the bonnet.

Capable of doing 250km on a single charge the Kwid EV is likely to pack a fast charging system compatible with home and public chargers. There’s no sneak peek into the interior just yet, but Renault says that the Kwid EV will get features such as a rearview camera, parking sensors and a central touchscreen with navigation. Currently being tested in China, which will be the first market for the Kwid EV, it is based on the same CMF-A platform as the Kwid.

Likely to be priced around Rs 6 lakh - Rs 8 lakh (ex-showroom) the Kwid EV could be a great option for intracity users. While there is no immediate word on the availability of the Kwid EV just yet, expect it land here by the fag end of 2019.   

Suzuki WagonR Electric

Maruti’s first all-electric car in India will be based on the upcoming WagonR, which is due for launch on January 23. While most details about the electric WagonR are scarce for now, we do know that it is likely to have a range of 200-220km per charge. And that Maruti has already started a pilot run of 50 prototypes across the country.

These have been developed exclusively by Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan and assembled at Maruti’s Gurugram plant with the aim to extensively testing real-life usage of the vehicles in multiple terrains and climatic conditions.

With the WagonR electric, the country’s largest carmaker will look to pioneer the largely untapped EV market and thus bring the required infrastructure as well. Being a Maruti, we have high hopes from the WagonR electric when it launches here in mid-2020. It is likely to be priced around Rs 6 lakh - Rs 8 lakh range.

Mahindra eKUV100

In line with its plans  to have an electric variant for all its SUVs in the future, Mahindra had showcased the eKUV100 at the 2018 Auto Expo. Equipped with a range of around 180km and fast charging capabilities with up to 80 per cent in less than an hour, the eKUV100 uses the latest-gen battery technology and electronics. Except for the EV badging at the rear, the electric KUV100 looks similar to the regular car and comes packed with smartphone connectivity, remote diagnostics feature, cabin pre-cooling, real-time location tracking and even keeps an eye on the driving patterns of the driver along with battery status.

Likely to be launched in the second half of 2019, the eKUV100 will be the first among the two electric SUVs planned by Mahindra till 2020, with the other one also featuring later on our list.

Tata Tiago EV & Tigor EV

Tata Motors has been actively developing EVs for quite some time now and had finally showcased electric versions of the Tiago and Tigor at the 14th Auto Expo earlier this year. Except for the ‘EV’ badge on the grille and decals on body, both EVs look similar to the regular ICE-powered versions. The Tiago and Tigor EVs are powered by a 30kW electric powertrain supplied by Electra EV. Tata claims both cars have a range of 130km on a single charge.

The homegrown carmaker has already won a tender to supply 10,000 EVs to the government-owned Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). While the official launch is likely to happen around July 2019, you can get to live with a Tigor EV as it is now available via self drive car rental service Zoomcar in Pune.    

Mahindra S210

Mahindra recently took the wraps off its much-awaited premium sub-4 metre SUV, the XUV300, with plans to launch it in February 2019. Meanwhile, we also got to know that the second electric SUV in the pipeline from Mahindra will be based on the XUV300. Pegged as a smaller and more affordable alternative to the upcoming Hyundai Kona EV, the new electric SUV, codenamed the S210, will be a more premium offering than the current e2o and the upcoming eKUV100.

Likely to be offered in two versions and battery capacities - one for city use and other for longer range and performance - the S210 is likely to hit showrooms in mid-2020 with an estimated price tag of under Rs 20 lakh.     

MG eZS

Iconic British marque MG is all set  to enter India with its first SUV based on the Baojun 530 in 2019, following which the carmaker plans to introduce the eZS all-electric SUV in Q1 of 2020. The all-electric, long range SUV from MG is likely to be powered by a 110kW motor which is said to make 150PS and a hefty 350Nm of torque, driving the front wheels. The Chinese version has a claimed range of 428km and can do 0-50kmph in around 3.1 seconds. It takes about 30 minutes to charge up to 80 per cent.

Being the halo model from MG, the eZS will come loaded with technology like built-in Wi-Fi, AI-enabled services, cloud-based services and over-the-air updates. It will also feature a panoramic sunroof and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display as well. Likely to be priced around the Rs 25 lakh mark, the eZS will take on the Hyundai Kona and the Kia Niro-based EV in India.  

Hyundai Kona

Probably among the most talked about EVs coming to India - the Hyundai Kona is slated to launch in August 2019. The Kona will also be among the most powerful and most efficient EVs to land in the country.

Likely to be powered by a 39.2kWh battery and equipped with a range of 312km on a full charge, the Kona electric makes 135PS of power with a massive 395Nm of torque. There’s a 64kWh variant, too, which has a range of over 470km and makes 204PS. We are likely to get the smaller capacity variant here as Hyundai would want to keep costs in check. The all-electric Kona will be brought to India as a completely knocked down (CKD) kit and will be assembled locally for a lower starting price. We expect it to be priced around the Rs 25 lakh mark.

To popularise the Kona, Hyundai will also be looking to develop charging infrastructure in partnership with third-party electric solution providers. This will include fast charging outlets at strategic locations and Hyundai dealerships in major cities across the country.

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is probably the most popular electric car in the world and we say this because it is the most sold EV of all time. And the good news is that the Leaf is coming to India. According to Thomas Kuehl, president of Nissan India, the second-gen Leaf, which was revealed in 2017, is likely to make a debut in India by June 2019. Powered by a 150PS electric motor which has 320Nm of pulling power available at the first press of the throttle, the Leaf is a premium hatchback like no other.

It gets a 40kWh Li-ion battery that can store enough charge to keep it going for 400km (as per Japanese JC08 test cycle), making it among the most efficient EVs available right now. Likely to feature a host of latest safety and autonomous technology on board, expect the Leaf to carry a hefty sticker price of around Rs 30 lakh when it comes to India. Meanwhile, there is an all-new version of the Leaf in the works which is set to be unveiled at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. However,we might have to wait for sometime before we get it here.  

Audi e-Tron

Audi’s answer to the Tesla Model X, the e-Tron is the German carmaker’s first full-blown all-electric SUV. In terms of design, the e-Tron looks similar to Audi’s current Q range of SUVs. Powered by twin motors placed on either axles for a total system output of up to 408PS (300kW) and 664Nm of torque, the e-Tron is quick. It does 0-100kmph in just 5.7 seconds, while the top speed is limited to 200kmph.

Audi says the e-Tron has a combined range of over 400km on a single charge under the latest WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure) test cycle. The electric SUV packs a 95kWh battery pack that can be juiced up to 80 per cent within 30 minutes using a 150kW DC fast charger, which Audi claims is a first for a series production vehicle.

Audi has already confirmed the e-Tron for India will land here by late-2019. Expect the electric SUV to be brought here as a CBU, which would result in it being priced well over the Rs 1 crore mark. So what do you think about these EVs, do you want to see other manufacturers like Tesla bring their cars to India? Do let us know in the comment section below.