It is widely known that batteries used in electric vehicles are among the costliest parts of such EVs. Though the exact cost of these batteries is mostly ambiguous, largely because there is seldom any chance that these batteries need to be replaced. A Tata Nexon EV owner recently got rid of this ambiguity and the exact price of a new battery pack for his vehicle is now going viral on the internet.
A social media post put up by the owner named Doddappa S Nisty mentions a jaw-dropping cost of Rs 7 lakh for a new battery pack for his Tata Nexon EV. The post, as put up on the Facebook group titled Nexon EV Group Karnataka, mentions that the Nexon EV experienced some problems in the battery, after having driven for around 68,000 km.
In his post, Nisty mentions that he has been driving his Nexon EV for the past two years. He felt a need to replace the battery due to a recent issue he faced with the vehicle. The EV’s range was reduced, and the vehicle stalled with the battery still having 15 per cent of charge left.
What is gaining everyone’s attention is the cost of the battery that the owner mentions in his post. Upon enquiry, Nisty got to know that the battery replacement for the Nexon EV costs Rs 7 lakh. The series of comments on the post displays people’s astonishment over the high price of the battery.
For context, know that the price of the Tata Nexon EV starts at about Rs 15 lakh for the base variant. This means that the cost of the EV’s battery alone constitutes about half of the overall price of the battery-operated vehicle.
Thankfully, the owner did not have to pay anything for the battery replacement, as the battery of the Nexon EV is covered under warranty for a period of 8 years or for a total distance of 1.6 lakh km. Since Nisty’s car was driven only for 2 years and 68,000 km, he could easily claim a replacement under the warranty. The car is now back to new, Nisty writes in his post.
Tata Nexon EV Battery Cost Too High?
The figure, at first, seems to be too high, especially when compared to the cost of the entire vehicle, and may prove to be a scare for some EV buyers. What if this need for battery replacement comes after the warranty period has expired? Who would want to pay Rs 7 lakh for a new battery pack for an EV?
Though some information on the dynamics of EVs justifies this price. We already know that batteries are the prime reason why EVs are way costlier than their IC engine counterparts. With the present battery technology, mostly constituting lithium-ion batteries for EVs, the cost of batteries is a known roadblock to EV adoption.
In numbers, a report by 91Mobiles mentions this cost to be around Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per kWh in India, which equates to a Rs 6 lakh figure for the 30.3kWh used on the Tata Nexon EV. Taking into account, the logistics, taxes and an 8-year performance warranty, the cost for such batteries may very well reach the mentioned Rs 7 lakh figure.
However, the more important thing to note is that such battery degradation has been almost absent from the EV world till now. In such isolated cases, the issues can easily be identified well within the warranty period and that is when the battery is replaced by the EV manufacturer for free. Buyers, thus need not be scared of the astronomical figure associated with it, and thus, should not be deterred from opting for an EV thinking that its “maintenance would be too high.” Remember that the reality, for just about every EV, is quite the opposite, when compared to petrol or diesel vehicles.
