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Tata Nexon EV sets record by becoming first electric car to reach Umling La pass in the Himalayas

The Tata Nexon EV has driven itself straight into the record books by becoming the first electric SUV in the world to reach the frigid heights of the Umling La Pass in the Himalayas. The Umling La pass, situated at 19024 feet, is the highest motorable road in the world. The pass connects Chisumle and Demchok in Eastern Ladakh, and is of strategic importance. The Tata Motors team driving the Tata Nexon EV Max started the drive from Leh, and managed to drive across Umling La on the 18th of September 2022.

Tata Nexon EV sets record by becoming first electric car to reach Umling La pass in the Himalayas

Mr. Vivek Srivatsa, Head, Marketing, Sales and Service Strategy, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. had this to say about the Nexon EV’s achievement:

We are thrilled to witness the Nexon EV MAX achieving this remarkable milestone which further demonstrates its capabilities. All Nexon EV MAX users have the freedom to undertake regular and uninterrupted long-distance travel with superior ride & handling. Not only it offers more range and power, but also supports faster charging while improving the overall driving efficiency and further providing an uncompromised EV ownership experience. Besides, it has an inherent advantage of high altitude, thinner air, lower pressure having no impact on its performance. This has been well established with this milestone and such achievements will further encourage the Indian customer to #EvolveToElectric.

Tata Nexon EV sets record by becoming first electric car to reach Umling La pass in the Himalayas

The Nexon Electric SUV is India’s best selling electric vehicle, and is available in a range of variants. The base trim is called the XM, and is priced at Rs. 14.99 lakh ex-showroom. This trim offers an ARAI certified range of 312 Kms while actual range in the real world is about 180-200 kilometers per charge. The Nexon EV XM trim is powered by a 30.2 kWh battery. The battery takes 8.5 hours to be completely recharged from empty. Higher trims of the Tata Nexon EV are called XZ Plus, XZ Plus Dark Edition, XZ Plus Lux and XZ Plus Lux Dark Edition, and offer more equipment and features. However, the battery size and range remain the same as the XM trim.

Recently, Tata Motors launched a new version of the Tata Nexon EV with a higher range. Called the Nexon EV Max, the electric SUV offers an ARAI certified battery range/charge of 437 kilometers, and is powered by a 40.5 kWh battery. There are two key trims for the electric powertrain: 3.3 kW and 7.2 kW. The 3.3 kW trim takes 15 hours for a full battery charge while the 7.2 kW trim’s battery pack can be recharged from empty in just 6.5 hours. The Nexon EV Max is available in XZ Plus and XZ Plus LUX trims. Ex-showroom prices for the Nexon EV Max start from Rs. 17.3 lakh.

Tata Motors also sells another electric car in the Indian market. It’s an electric sedan based on the Tigor. The Tigor EV starts from Rs. 12.49 lakh, and is the most affordable electric car in India presently. Later this month, Tata Motors will launch another affordable electric car, tipped to be priced close to the Rs. 10 lakh mark. It’s the electric variant of the Tiago hatchback we’re talking about.