Tata Nexon EV : Maximizing Battery health | EV Guru

By Kamlesh and Raphae

The PluginIndia team recently met some members of the Tata Motors RnD team and we were discussing about the Nexon EV's performance in the market. In this article, we document certain charging tips that are were mentioned to us by the Nexon EV team, that will significantly boost battery health.

Video : Tata Nexon EV : Maximizing Battery health | EV Guru

The Tata Motors team told us that there is a steady demand for Nexon EVs. There are more than 1000+ paid bookings reported each month. The Nexon team told us that they are happy with the demand and these numbers will help senior management to launch more EV's to the market. So congratulations to all Nexon EV Owners and your pioneering efforts in owning a Nexon EV. This will pave the way for more EV's from Tata Motors.

Regarding some observations faced by Nexon EV owners, the Tata team said that they are learning a lot from the usage of all of you and are constantly developing their systems, which includes the hardware and software. A significant software update was released to the field in late 2020, thereby improving the range of the cars and further refining the drive characteristics of the vehicle. This has received appreciation from owners. The Nexon EV is now the highest selling EV in the country, crossing 4000 units of sales by March 2021. They also said that the team is working hard to fix any other pending issues as well and we might get to hear of some more updates as well.

​This according to us is fantastic. This shows that Tata Motors is listening to the community and fixing issues for customers. We love such companies who are customer focussed and we hope Tata continues to listen to their customers. This culture should never change as an Electric Car contains a lot of electronic components which are software driven. And constant tuning and fixing is important for optimal performance of the electric car.

Given this is a new technology, Tata Motors believes that if customers could try the below suggestions/ tips, users might benefit them during their ownership:  

• Regular AC Slow Charging
  Ensure you slow charge your Tata Nexon EV after every four to five cycles of fast charging or once in a week. This is extremely important, as all cells in the battery pack need to be balanced and regular slow charging is very important for equalizing cells.
• AC Slow Charge up to 100% 
  The Tata Motors team have observed owners charging the battery of the car up to 60-70% each week as they feel that is enough range for their day-to-day needs. But this becomes a big issue as all the cells in the battery pack won't have optimum balanced voltage. When this happens, even if one cell goes below the threshold the car will stall. So it is recommended to Nexon EV owners to leave your car to charge overnight once a week. And ensure it charges up to 100% SOC.
  
• DC Fast Charging
  DC Fast charging stations are coming up all over India, with many networks like Tata Power, Zeon Charging and EESL who are installing 25-50 kW CCS2 based DC fast chargers. Many of these are being installed in the city. This is becoming a problem as many Tata Nexon EV owners think that they can visit a DC fast charger and plugin for 20 mins and manage their charging. And this is exactly what the Tata Motors R&D team have been observing. Owners are visiting Fast Charging stations, plugging in for 15-20 mins and charging up to 60-70%. Do understand that, when using the DC fast charger, the last 20-25% takes more time as once the battery reaches a certain level of its capacity, usually 80 percent, charging essentially slows down. This slow down occurs as at higher SOC there is more resistance and the pack is getting hotter so that charger sends less current. At this point it also balances the cells and optimizes the pack. 
  People, unfortunately, seem to be impatient, and want to leave as soon as possible. The Tata team told us this will happen as this is opportunity-based charging to top up the battery in given busy schedules. However, they told us that after 4/5 opportunity charging instances, it's important to wait until the process completes during fast charging and ensure the SOC goes all the way to 100%
  
• Regular service checks and software updates​
  Many people think that using an Electric car would mean no service. It is true that an electric car does not have so many moving parts. But staying up to date and getting the latest software is important to keep your car healthy. Tata Motors recommends getting a service done after 7500 km or six months and ensure you follow this. Ensure you communicate with your dealer/community regularly to check for special software updates.
  
• Follow Social media channels and community groups
  
  • ​​Follow Tata Motors Electric Mobility social media channels for updates
    
  • Follow the Nexon EV owners club twitter handle, you get a lot of updates from fellow Nexon EV owners.
    
  • Join the Nexon EV Telegram group. Message the admin Nexon EV owners club twitter handle and they will add you in.
    

If you guys have any questions feel free to write in the comments below. We can try to get answers from the Tata Motors EV team.