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There was a time when electric cars in India were a novelty. But you see more and more of them on the roads now. The question now for automotive buyers is which electric car to buy, as opposed to whether to buy an electric car.
So EV brands in India are competing to come up with electric car designs that will attract car buyers in different ways. Which are these top electric car designs in India, what are their specifications, and who are the EV design engineers that designed these cars?
There are several noticeable trends that begin to emerge, if you look at the cars, their engineering design, specifications, styling and popularity in the Indian market.
The popular EVs are typically those that have been entirely built in India - either designed or redesigned, engineered and manufactured in India, with EV experts, local suppliers and labor to bring the car model and its pricing in line with the needs of the Indian car market.
Citroen, for example, has engineered and manufactured the Citroen C3 with over 90% localisation, built at its manufacturing facility in Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu.
In fact, Roland Bouchara, CEO & Managing Director, Stellantis India, said at the time the car was launched that, “This is our first model from the C-Cube family of vehicles that are designed and engineered in India, for Indians. with over 90% localised parts in the new C3, we are leveraging our strong supplier base, our R&D center in Chennai, the vehicle assembly plant at Thiruvallur and the powertrain plant at Hosur in the state of Tamil Nadu.”
They roped in TCS for engineering and R&D support for the Citroen C3 project, and their Chennai engineering division was hugely instrumental in this project.
evACAD Co-founder and President Vikrant Vaidya, who at that time was with TCS, was one of the key leaders involved in the development of the Citroen C3 powertrain.
Secondly, the most popular electric cars in the Indian market are all EV models that are also available in ICE - petrol and/or diesel, as compared to models that are only available as an EV.
In this post, we have for you the top 5 electric car designs in India, along with all the information you need to know about each car.
Brand: Tata Motors EV
Car model: TATA Nexon EV Max
Specs:
Vehicle type: SUV
Passengers: 5 seater
Range: 453 km
Charging time: 6.6 hours
Battery Capacity: 40.5 Kwh
Max Power: 141.01 bhp
Max Torque: 250 Nm
Designer's name: Pratap Bose
The Tata Nexon was designed by a team led by Pratap Bose, who was the Head of Design at Tata Motors at the time of its development.
Bose is a renowned automobile designer who has also played a key role in the design of other Tata vehicles such as the Tiago, Tigor, and Harrier. He is now Chief Design Officer, Mahindra Group.
Styling: The Nexon's design is known for its bold and contemporary styling, with features such as a coupe-like roofline, a floating roof design, and a signature grille that give it a distinct look.
Brand: Citroën India
Car Model: Citroen eC3
Specs:
Vehicle type: SUV
Passengers: 5 seater
Range: 320 km
Charging time: 10 hrs 30 mins
Battery Capacity: 29.2 Kwh
Max Power: 56.22
Max Torque: 143 Nm
Designer’s name: Jean-Pierre Ploué
French designer Jean-Pierre Ploué, who was then Director of the Citroën Design Center, designed the Citroen C3 as part of a team led by Italian car designer Donato Coco, who is well known himself for designing many of the Citroen cars and Ferrari cars as well.
Styling: The e-C3 is Citroen's first all-electric vehicle based on the conventional C3 model. Its design is characterized by a unique two-tone color scheme, smooth lines, and an overall sleek and modern look.
The car features a number of advanced features such as a touchscreen infotainment system, a heads-up display, and a range of driver assistance systems.
Brand: Hyundai Motor India
Car Model: Hyundai IONIQ 5
Specs:
Vehicle type: SUV
Passengers: 5 seater
Range:631 km
Charging time: 6 hours 55 min
Battery Capacity: 72.6 Kwh
Max Power: 214.56bhp
Max Torque: 350Nm
Designer’s name: Luc Donckerwolke
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 was designed by a team led by Luc Donckerwolke, who is the Chief Creative Officer at Hyundai Motor Group. Donckerwolke has an extensive background in automobile design and has worked for several renowned car brands such as Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Volkswagen.
Styling: The IONIQ 5 is Hyundai's first electric vehicle based on the new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) architecture, and its design is characterized by clean lines, sharp angles, and a futuristic look.
The car features a unique clamshell hood, a distinctive pixelated lighting signature, and a spacious and versatile interior that has been designed with sustainability in mind.
Brand: Mahindra
Car Model: XUV400 EL
Specs:
Vehicle type: SUV
Passengers: 5
Range: 456 km
Charging time: 50 minutes
Battery Capacity: 39.4 Kwh
Max Power: 147.51 bhp
Max Torque: 310 Nm
Designer’s name: Pratap Bose
The Mahindra XUV400 was designed by Pratap Bose, Chief Design Officer, Mahindra Group. Bose and fashion designer Rimzim Dadu also collaborated to create an exclusive One-of-one edition of the XUV400 that was auctioned for charity. It was sold at over INR 1 crore.
Brand: MG Motor India
Car Model: ZS EV
Specs:
Vehicle type: SUV
Passengers: 5 seater
Range: 461 km
Charging time: 8.5 to 9 hours
Battery Capacity: 50.3 kWh
Max Power: 174.33 bhp
Max Torque: 280 nm
Designer’s name: Anthony Williams-Kenny
The MG ZS EV was designed by a team led by Anthony Williams-Kenny, former Global Design Director at MG / SAIC Motor. He has an extensive background in automobile design and is currently Chief Creative Officer and Design Director at FAW (First Automotive) in China. His previous experience includes Mitsubishi, MG, and Rover, having started as an intern at BMW (Rover) Group Design which included (Rover, MG, Land Rover).
The ZS EV is MG's first all-electric vehicle and is based on the conventional ZS model. Its design is characterized by sleek lines, sharp angles, and an overall modern look.
The car features a distinctive front grille, a panoramic sunroof, and a spacious and versatile interior that has been designed with sustainability in mind.
