Court To Tata: Give Nexon EV Max Owner Full Refund With Interest And Compensation!
The electric vehicle (EV) sector has been fast-growing in India. Tata Motors is now a leader in the game, and the Nexon EV is one of its most-sold models. Now, the Jhansi consumer court has ruled in favour of a Nexon EV Max owner, asking the carmaker and its dealer to issue a full refund with interest and an addition sum of Rs 15,000.
When it was first launched in 2020, the Nexon EV was priced aggressively and came with a 30.2kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This electric SUV had a claimed range of 312km per charge. The long-range version, called the ‘Nexon EV Max’, came in 2022 with a 437km ARAI-certified range. This added to the confidence of many, eventually leading to increased adoption. In the time that followed, many Nexon EV Max owners found out that the actual (real-world) range of their electric Nexons stood well below the claimed figures.
This ruling comes from the Jhansi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, following a complaint filed by a Nexon EV Max owner who got disappointed by the actual range of his ‘long-range’ electric SUV. In it, the owner accused Tata Motors of ‘making false range claims’ while selling him the EV.
Image: Uptak
Jhansi District Consumer Commission Chairman Amar Pal Singh ordered Tata Motors Electric Mobility Limited and JMK Motors, its dealer in Jhansi, to pay Rs 17.49 lakh along with 7% annual interest (calculated from September 14, 2023, to October 25, 2025- a little over 2 years) and an additional Rs 15,000 ( Rs 5000 in litigation costs and Rs 10,000 as compensation for mental agony that the owner had to endure).
A report by UpTak identifies the consumer as Deepak Kumar. He had bought a brand-new Nexon EV Max on March 29, 2023. The variant he chose was priced at Rs 18.40 lakh, back then. He reportedly paid Rs 50,666 as insurance charges and a registration charge of Rs 40,334.
Deepak says that at the time of purchase, the dealer staff told him that the vehicle would return a range of 453km per charge. During his ownership, however, this owner realised that the real-world range was just around 250 km per charge. He reported this to the company and even raised complaints there. Deepak says that despite these, no action was taken by the manufacturer.
Tired, he gave the car to the company for detailed inspection in April that year. The showroom staff then did extensive highway testing with it, which revealed the range to be just about 280 km, if the vehicle speed was maintained around 50-60 kph (essentially pointing to a light-foot driving style) and the AC turned off. Based on this finding, Deepak filed a lawsuit in the Consumer Court in September 2023, accusing the carmaker of misleading him during the purchase. This kick-started a long, complex legal battle. Years later, the court has now ruled in his favour.
Talking to the media, Deepak said that he is completely satisfied with the ruling and even expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the court for serving him justice.
Many early adopters of electric vehicles here, have reported a notable mismatch between ARAI range and real-world figures. One of the most important reasons is the sharp difference in testing conditions. For range certification, the vehicle is tested in simulated city and highway routes, which may differ sharply from actual Indian road and climate conditions. There are multiple other factors affecting this, as well. Over the years, we have seen the gap between tested and actual range figures narrow down, making life easier for EV owners.
That said, driving style plays a key role in shaping the actual range of electric vehicles. EVs need to be driven in a certain way to maximise range. This won't be possible always due to the road and traffic conditions here. Owners should learn how the regen and power consumption work (in other words, know the vehicle inside-out) and 'drive efficiently' whenever possible. Avoiding sudden acceleration and putting the regen to good use will help on most EVs.