Kerala Government Orders 65 Tata Nexon Electric Vehicles For Traffic Law Enforcement

The order has been made by the Kerala Motor Vehicle Department as part of the state's ‘Safe Kerala' initiative. The vehicles are being leased by the Energy Efficient Services Limited (EESL), a Central Government institution that reports to the Ministry Of Power.

The Safe Kerala initiative is the state's directorial for enforcing rules set by the Motor Vehicles Act, and to ensure road discipline.

This order and eventual use of electric vehicles will make Kerala the first state in the country to actively deploy electric vehicles for enforcement activities.

The Government of Kerala has opted for something called a dry lease - essentially leasing cars without chauffeurs. The state will lease the 65 Tata Nexon EVs for a period of eight years.

Charging stations will be set up across 65 offices of the enforcement squads. As is, these charging stations will be used exclusively by the EESL. Rumor and speculation is that the charging stations will be made available to the general public as well.

Interestingly, speculation is that the EESL will hire Home Guards as drivers for the fleet of leased Nexon EVs.

Mr K R Jyothilal, the Principal Secretary of Transport said, "The MVD is turning to be a role model in ushering in green mobility. Going for EVs instead of fossil-fuelled vehicles will give a big push to e-mobility and curb spending on vehicle use."

"This is in tune with the government decision to all departments to hire EVs from April 1 instead of purchasing diesel vehicles. Work orders have been placed for 65 EVs," he added.

The State Transport department plans to make changes and modifications to the Nexon EVs once the fleet is delivered. Equipment like speed cameras, speeding radars, and hooters will be mounted on the SUVs.

In addition, the vehicles will work 24 hours a day and will employ services of one Motor Vehicle Department driver during the day shift, and two during the night.

The Tata NExon EV features a 30.2kWh high-capacity Lithium-ion battery that is connected to a permanent magnet motor. The Lithium-ion battery takes 60 minutes to charge up to 80 percent while using a fast charger, and takes eight hours via a regular AC charger.

The Tata Nexon Electric Vehicle gets a 30.2 Kwh high capacity lithium-ion battery which is connected to a 95kW permanent magnet motor. The combination produces 128 brake horsepower and 245 Newton-meters of torque. The engine comes mated to an automatic transmission.

While the vehicle comes with an ARAI certified range of 312 kilometers over a full charge, real-world estimates stand at between 250 and 300 kilometers.

The SUV features projector headlamps, LED DRLs, an electric tailgate opener, automatic climate control, 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, an electric sunroof, and leatherette seats.

Other features are multiple driving modes, a multifunctional steering wheel, keyless entry, a push-button start/ stop function, and a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android.

Safety features on the Tata Nexon EV include dual airbags, ABS with EBD, hill-ascent control, hill descent control, high-speed warning alerts, and pedestrian protection, among others.

The Tata Nexon Electric is available in three variants and three colours, that are priced between Rs 13.99 lakh and Rs 15.99 lakh, ex-showroom.

Thoughts About The Kerala Transport Department Ordering 65 Tata Nexon SUVs For Traffic Law Enforcement

This is fantastic! The state is slowly turning towards green energy and is definitely saving costs as far as conventional fuel is concerned. We are impressed at how the Government of Kerala operates and thinks! Certainly a role model for the rest of the country.