A trio of EV crossovers have started India's electric car revolution

It might take years (or even decades!) before electric cars push over their internal combustion engine counterparts in India but the foundation for that to happen is well and truly set. And a trio of electric crossovers - or SUVs, as some call them - are driving this change.

Tata's Nexon EV, MG's ZS EV and Hyundai's Kona Electric have managed what Mahindra Electric - despite it's 10-year head-start - couldn't. Yes, Mahindra took over the erstwhile Reva Electric Car Company in 2010! Reva, lest you forget, has been around for even longer with Chetan Maini launching his pint-sized toy-ish electric car way back in 2001. What a lead this, to be squandered!

Let's get back to this trio. Their success hinged on their ability to garner the attention of the car-buying public by legitimately staking claim as 'no-compromise' urban run-abouts. That they managed to do it overcoming monumental challenges like lack of charging infrastructure, limited awareness and range anxiety is remarkable.

Look at their spec sheets and you'll know why I called them 'no-compromise' offerings.

The Nexon EV is the most-affordable and consequently the top-seller of this bunch with Tata recently celebrating the roll-out of 1000th Nexon EV. Priced between INR 13.99 - 15.99 Lakhs, the Nexon EV has a 30.2 kWh battery with an ARAI-certified range of 312 km on a single charge. Plugged into a regular 15A socket, the Nexon EV would bump it's battery up from 10 to 90% in 8.5 hours. With CCS2 fast charging, it would take just an hour for the battery to go from 0 to 80%. Even assuming an usable real-world range of just over 200 km, the Nexon EV has hit a sweet spot in the price-range equation. That, along with it's funky looks, class-leading safety and solid build, enhances the Nexon EV's appeal.

The other two are more closely matched and a cut above the Tata, both in terms of pricing and specifications. Surprisingly, it's MG that won against Hyundai's might.

Hot on the heels of Hector's success, MG launched the ZS EV in India with ex-showroom prices ranging between INR 19.88 - 23.58 Lakhs. Equipped with a bigger 44.5 kWh battery and an ARAI-certified range of 340 km, the ZS EV gets multiple charging options. The portable charger that comes along with the car can be plugged into any 15A socket and takes 16-18 hours to juice up the battery from 0 to 80%. The same can be done in 6-8 hours by opting for AC fast chargers and just 50 minutes with DC fast chargers installed in MG dealerships. Road Site Assistance facility for mobile charging support is also available in case of an emergency. The ZS EV's appeal lies in it's all-round capability. Good-looking? Check. Feature-loaded? Double check. Panoramic sunroof? Hell yeah!

That brings us to the Kona Electric, India's first EV crossover and the first-ever EV in the country that offered range in excess of 100 km when it was launched just over a year ago. With a pan-India ex-showroom price of INR 25.30 Lakhs, the Kona Electric has a 39.2 kWh battery with an ARAI-certified range of 452 km. In real-world conditions, that could drop to a little over 300 km, still a mighty impressive number. Time taken to recharge the battery to 100% is a little over 6 hours with an AC charger. Just like MG, Hyundai provides fast-charging DC charges and emergency mobile charging support. It's quirky styling and relatively higher pricing apart, there's nothing quite to fault with the car. The Kona Electric would have sold in higher numbers if MG had not stolen the limelight from the Hyundai within months of it's launch. That the Kona Electric is in high demand globally doesn't help either with allocation to Hyundai India apparently hard to come by.

With all three tasting success, it's clear Indians aren't averse to owning electric cars. Give us an EV that isn't a compromise and were prepared to put our money on it. Hyundai, MG and Tata have effectively ensured other car-makers don't have to think twice to launch their EVs in India. So, who's next then?

MG & Kia make strong debuts in India

| Sales of MG Hector and Kia Seltos are off to a great start |

| Hector bookings cross 21,000 with MG temporarily closing bookings |

| Kia receives over 6,000 bookings for the Seltos in a day |

It's true that the automotive industry in India is going through one of it's toughest phases ever. The mere fact every car-maker out there barring one or two report double-digit drop in sales month-on-month is an indication of the bloodshed that's happening out there. This then is not the right time to enter the market, one would think.

But two brands that most people in India have unheard of are making waves out there, following two different philosophies to penetrate the market. 

Take Morris Garages, for instance. Now owned by SAIC, China's biggest car-maker, MG has been doing everything right ever since they set shop in India. Be it touting their British heritage with nary a hint of their Chinese assocation, be it striking an emotional chord with a small but loyal set of owners of classic MG models, be it their aggressive marketing tactics that kept people talking about the brand or be it the well thought-out maintenance and ownership packages that are designed to alleviate concerns potential customers might have in putting their money on a new brand, MG planned and executed their moves very well.

Backing all these efforts was their product itself, the Hector. Despite being based off a SAIC model, the Hector - endorsed by the popular British actor, Benedict Cumberbatch - never revealed it's Chinese origins which, by the way, isn't a bad thing at all. Indians love bling and MG offered that in dollops with the Hector. Indians crave for features and the vehicle is loaded to the gills and some more with them. With the largest touchscreen ever seen on an automobile in India and next level of connectivity features that's proclaimed with an 'Internet Inside' fender badge, the Hector is tech-savvy, just what the millenials want!

That the Hector's sales crossed 21,000 units within weeks of launch and bookings have been closed until further announcement is a testament to their efforts.

If you're one of those that think MG had an easy way in, thanks to GM's association with SAIC which handed the Halol plant in Gujarat on a platter to MG, what do you have to say about Kia? These folks from South Korea didn't have it easy, despite being closely-knit to Hyundai that has a strong presence and image in India.

From setting up a huge greenfield facility at Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh in record time to counting the days for their first model launch in the country, Indian arm of Kia has put in the 1 Billion Dollars sanctioned by its parent to good use over the last couple of years. The sheer scale shows the commitment and the confidence the brand has in the Indian market. Starting off with an annual capacity to make 100,000 cars, Kia has plans to scale up to 300,000 units a year within two years. Just like Hyundai, Kia has taken along quite a few of it's suppliers and made them set shop close by to solve supply chain constraints.

Though their marketing efforts thus far has been less intense compared to, let's say MG, Kia showed their might at the 2016 Auto Expo. From the Picanto hatchback to the Stinger GT premium sedan, from the Sportage crossover to the Grand Carnival MPV, the Korean brand's 16-strong model lineup brought in for the event left a lasting impression. Taking one of them and adapting it for Indian tastes and requirements would've been the easier option. But Kia didn't do that.

They came up with the Seltos, an all-new model that hits straight at a red-hot segment dominated by Hyundai. Yes, the Creta is what Seltos is aimed at. With it's distinct styling, impressive levels of fit and finish, a gamut of engine and transmission options and bucket-loads of features with many segment-firsts thrown in, the Seltos - based on the SP Signature Concept showcased earlier this year - looks set to usurp it's Hyundai sibling from the throne it currently occupies unchallenged.

Don't believe us? Get this. Bookings for the Seltos opened officially this Tuesday and by the end of the day, Kia had pocketed a whopping 6,000 deposits. And, let's not forget the pricing hasn't been announced yet!

The message then is loud and clear. The sentiments may be down, liquidity might be a problem and lending rates might be on their way up but success is in the offing if car-makers put in earnest efforts and bring in attractive models. 

While it's a great job so far by MG and Kia, the challenge now is to keep the momentum going. It's going to be interesting, let's see how they cope up!