Tata has updated the range of its Nexon EV, Curvv EV, and Punch EV. Here's why they made these changes.

Tata Motors is the clear leader in the electric vehicle (EV) market for passenger cars, offering five battery-powered models. The company recently announced new ranges for its EV lineup. This change came after the Indian government made updates to the MIDC range testing rules.

To make sure the range of all electric vehicles is fairly compared using a common standard, the Ministry of Road & Transport has set specific guidelines for the MIDC range tests. All car manufacturers must publicly share the certified range from these tests. 

The MIDC testing cycle has two parts: Urban, which represents city driving, and Extra Urban, which represents highway driving. Previously, EVs were only tested for the Urban (city) part. However, the Ministry of Road & Transport (MoRTH) now requires all car manufacturers to test and report range values that include both Urban and Extra Urban cycles. Because of this, the full-charge range of all EVs is expected to change.

In line with recent changes, Tata Motors has announced new ranges for all its EVs. Starting from 10 September 2024, the company will report the certified range from MIDC's combined P1+P2 test (Urban + Extra Urban). To help customers better understand real-world performance, Tata will also continue to voluntarily share the near real-world driving range through its C75 range disclosure.

Changes in MIDC range tests

With the new MIDC range tests now including highway driving, the average testing speed has increased from 19 km/h to 31 km/h, and the maximum speed has gone from 50 km/h to 90 km/h. Due to this change, EV range figures have decreased. It's important to note that EV ranges are typically lower on highways compared to city driving.

As shown in the table, the range of the Curvv EV with the 55 kWh battery has decreased from 585 km to 502 km per charge. Similarly, the Nexon EV with the 40.5 kWh battery now has a range of 390 km, down from 465 km. The Punch EV with its 35 kWh battery pack now has a certified range of 365 km, reduced from 421 km per charge.

Tata Motors also states that the C75 figures represent the near real-world driving range that 75% of customers can expect. This estimate is based on data from the 1.65 lakh electric cars sold to date. Moving forward, all EV manufacturers in India are expected to announce revised ranges according to the new MIDC test cycle.