EVs have come a long way in very little time and the best ones out there right now make a compelling case for themselves. They are just as good to drive as fossil fuel cars but a whole lot more relaxing to drive and easier on the wallet when it comes to running costs. I know our future holds visions of zero emissions, noise-free EVs zooming around and with car companies like Tata and MG bringing in affordable models with decent range, we have good stuff to look forward to. This year we have driven a lot of premium EVs, too, all of which offer performance and efficiency on a different tangent altogether. Here we count down our top six EVs we have tested in 2022 so far.
Kia EV6 – Abhishek Nigam
It’s hard to imagine an EV being in my top 5 favourite list of cars driven this year but then the Kia EV6 is one such EV that completely blew my socks off. It looks fantastic, in fact it looks like nothing else on the road and so it will turn quite a bit of heads, it’s got excellent interiors although a touch too plasticky, a long list of equipment that includes augmented reality HUD, suede seats with vegan leather, sunroof, wireless charging, adaptive driving beam, powered tailgate, vehicle to load feature where you can power other things with the car’s battery, dual-curved display, heated and ventilated seats, 14-speaker meridian sound system and more. But features aside, it’s the performance that really impressed me.
The electric motor powers all for wheels (two wheel drive variant available as well) and puts out an impressive 320.5bhp and 605Nm of torque which rockets the EV6 to a 100 kmph in just 5.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 192 kmph. Now this is serious sportscar performance. And then we come to the range. Kia says the EV6 is capable of 528km on a full charge but that’s under the international WLTP cycle and Kia thinks it will be more or less the same once the ARAI figures come out. But even if the EV6 manages anything between 400 and 450km, it will be an excellent figure and that will make even long-ish stints on an EV possible. Fast, economic and beautiful, the EV6 has something for everyone.
MG ZS EV – Ninad Ambre
The EV market in India is expanding and a lot is being done to reduce range anxiety amongst buyers. A case in point is the new MG ZS EV. In its latest iteration, it does get a bit of nip and tuck. However, the most important bit comes in the form of an increased claimed range of 461km as compared to the outgoing model. MG has used a larger 50.3kWh battery pack against the 44.5kWh battery pack in the previous model. As a result, as per ICAT, the enhanced range is a little more than the 419km claimed range of the previous battery pack. Interestingly, it’s more powerful now by 33bhp. You’ll love how it sprints ahead in sport mode at the press of the pedal.
Fun aside, we also tested it out in real-world conditions and 340km is quite practical not just for owners in day-to-day conditions, but also for an inter-city trip. And as the infotainment screen shows up estimated range along with navigation details, it becomes stress-free to calculate and manage your trips with the charge left. MG has anyway got you covered with all kinds of charging options, be it a regular 15A socket, a 7.2kW charger, or even a 50kW DC fast charger! It’s quite a compelling product despite its asking price.
Audi e-tron sportback – Sagar Bhanushali
I think I come under the minority when it comes to EVs and how they look. I would much prefer if they appear like cars of today and for that reason alone the Audi e-tron Sportback works for me. Also the fact that it’s quicker than most SUVs and it feels and drives like a conventional luxury vehicle is probably the most impressive thing about it. Now I prefer the Sportback version over the standard e-tron because firstly, it costs just two lakh rupees more and looks a millions bucks better.
The e-tron Sportback has a theoretical range of over 400km on a full charge. Of course that depends on several factors such as driving style and traffic conditions. In our range test which included driving the car under varied traffic conditions across Navi Mumbai and on the Mumbai Pune expressway, we were able to cover 370km with the battery percentage coming down to 7 per cent from a full charge. So it is possible to comfortably achieve 380km of range on a full charge and that’s not bad at all.
BMW i4 – Vikrant Singh
I like the fact that electric BMWs are still so emotive. Be it the Mini or the monstrous iX, or the i4 for that matter, these electrics remain lovely to drive. Yes, they don’t sound gorgeous, but in terms of dynamics and driver connect, these are right up there. Now, while the iX is inexplicably fast, and the Mini is just pure fun given its torque-to-size ratio, the i4 to me is a good blend of luxury and performance and everyday usability. Not to mention, it’s priced quite well for a CBU.
The i4 might not feel as special or unique as the iX courtesy bits and pieces inside the cabin that remind one of the regular 3 Series; a hangover of a modified ICE platform if you will. But, the fact that it’s more regular enhances the usability factor I had mentioned. You can seat four comfortably; there’s enough space in the boot; one doesn’t have to re-engineer one’s thought process just to get the car started. Then of course there’s the balance it strikes between delivering an extended range with engaging performance that seals the deal in our book.
Volvo XC40 Recharge – Ninad Ambre
Another electric vehicle in this list, and this time — the Volvo XC40 Recharge. Well, not just for the thrills with the instantaneous acceleration it provides, but also for the good range it offers. Then, there’s the goodness of the XC40’s traits that it’s the electrified version of. The meat of the matter – driving range. Well, a WLTP certified range of 418km is sufficient enough to reduce your stress of recharging it again and again. And before any anxiety sets with the depleting charge, Volvo has made sure you have more than 400 horses and 660Nm of torque to have fun. It indeed is entertaining to sprint with this compact SUV with such an outburst of torque and yet be very seamless in its delivery.
It gets quite predictable and the light controls along with a compact footprint make the XC40 quite effortless to drive. Even the one pedal set-up is intriguing and once you get a hang of it, there’s no looking back. It has a quite aggressive regenerative braking function, which is good to leverage energy recovering and adding to the range. Well, all of this amusing tech packed into a product like the XC40. The latter was loved for its design, quality, space, features, and more. The XC40 Recharge just carries it forward and makes itself more endearing.
Tata Nexon EV Max – Venkat Desirazu
My journey with the Tata Nexon EV began when I had the chance to drive it for the first time in January 2020 and then extensively road test it in 2021. When the Nexon EV max was launched I had to make this a hat trick. As a car, the Nexon EV offered everything that the regular car had but with an increased range and better features like a tyre pressure monitoring system, ventilated seats and changeable regen modes. As a car in terms of look and feel, the Nexon EV Max felt no different from the regular car after all it is the same vehicle just with a bigger range. Where the gloves came off and the Max showed its true colours was in the driving experience.
It did the 0-100kmph sprint in 8.29 seconds as compared to 9.19 seconds of the standard car indicating a boost in performance. Despite the additional weight, the Nexon EV has lost none of its addictive performance that we liked so much in the standard car. Stopping power too has improved thanks to the presence of rear disc brakes. It also shone in the ride quality department where it glided over everything that our roads threw at it without much of a struggle though it was quite audible and this combined with wind and tyre noise made it quite a loud affair.
Pictures by Kapil Angane and Kaustubh Gandhi
Keyword: Top six electric vehicles we have tested in 2022 so far