[Ashwathama]

I don't know if this has been spoken about before in this thread but I just found out that this car has an NMC battery pack and not and not a LFP one. Will request all owners of this vehicle to strictly practice healthy charging habits as mentioned in the users manual as NMC batteries are notorious for losing range over a long period of time. You can even refer to youtube for best practices. One of the things that I had come across during my research was that NMC batteries should not be charged to 100% every time as they have a steeper voltage curve. 80-85% is recommended but again please follow whatever the user's manual or youtube professionals suggest. Just make sure you are not following any charging habits which are mentioned for LFP batteries, as NMC batteries have a different voltage curve altogether.

[sirishant]

Hi, this is my first post on the forum! Looking to replace my 2016 Baleno Delta 1.2, and the Creta Electric is at the top of the list. This car is intended for use by my parents and is mostly for city drives, with occassional once-in-three-months 1000km round trip.

Trade-in value offered for the Baleno by the dealer is 5.12L, including an additional discount. This value makes it seem the perfect time to switch cars.

I am looking at the top-end Excellence LR, and since the running of the vehicle will be low and my home meter is sanctioned at 10 kW, I am against the (seemingly over-priced) 11 kW AC charger which costs 73k from the dealer.

My budget has been stretched from ~16L to the Creta (with trade-in will be about 20.5L). I am yet to have a test-drive of the BE 6, but the styling and opinions of Mahindra service puts off my parents. I have seen the BE 6 on display, and the backseat wasn't comfortable. Creta seems well thought-out about all factors and the electronics + throttle calibration is the best I have felt in all the EVs I have driven in the segment.

Tata also has bad brand perception by my parents, their EVs feel like a "jugaad" sometimes. Curvv was very uncomfortable and parents immediately rejected it.

I am against the Suzuki eVitara considering it is the first EV by the brand (globally even) and I have my concerns about it. It has a skateboard architecture but they seemingly haven't extracted any additional space out of it.. Also I doubt the pricing will be on the lower-side.

We almost booked the MG Windsor but I was against it because of in-screen controls for most features, which my parents would have a hard time with. Also, the owner reviews on the Windsor review thread seems to be negative about the service costs and car's efficiency. In constrast, the previous posts here are praising the efficiency of the Creta. I don't think the Windsor LR would change much.

Creta's in-car payment, EV specific settings like charge scheduling, the amazing Regen and i-Pedal, and some of the Bluelink features make it seem very well thought out. I even went through the 480 page manual!

So now, my concerns about the upcoming purchase:

1. The insurance seems VERY expensive at 1.5L, for 3 years TP/1 year own damage. How does this compare with other EVs?
2. The matte Ocean Blue looks really nice, but I am concerned about maintaining the matte finish. Are gloss finishes significantly more convenient in maintainance? If so, I would change my mind on this.
3. We have been looking to replace the Baleno for a couple years now. With EVs coming left and right, it has been a wild journey. I was initially skeptical with the Creta, but actually experiencing it has completely changed my mind. But with the BE 6 and eVitara competing, I am afraid of the price cutting down within a few months. I guess it's just cest-la-vie ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
4. Initially will be dependent on the 3.3 kW charger, since running is low, over-night charging should compensate it. I will consider the Statiq Nectar 7.4 kW charger later, but out parking space needs a revamp for accomodating this. Does charging with the portable charger in the open require any additional considerations?
5. I do not think NMC or the battery hanging out is a big issue in itself. Good charging habits should compensate for degradation, and the ground clearance seems to be more than enough. But online comments point these concerns a lot.
6. They promised the 100 kW DC charging update in H2'25, but the mention about this is almost non-existent in most of their materials.

[axm0316]

1. The insurance seems VERY expensive at 1.5L, for 3 years TP/1 year own damage. How does this compare with other EVs?

Ans: You can consider taking insurance from outside. I paid 1.28L for 3 years B2B insurance from HDFC life, including all electrical clause( this got bundled with my HDFC loan)

2. The matte Ocean Blue looks really nice, but I am concerned about maintaining the matte finish. Are gloss finishes significantly more convenient in maintainance? If so, I would change my mind on this.

Ans:Yes, maintaining Matte car is difficult. There is no option to polish small scratches off and you will have to handwash the car for life. Make sure to tell your dealer not to polish your car before delivery

3. We have been looking to replace the Baleno for a couple years now. With EVs coming left and right, it has been a wild journey. I was initially skeptical with the Creta, but actually experiencing it has completely changed my mind. But with the BE 6 and eVitara competing, I am afraid of the price cutting down within a few months. I guess it's just cest-la-vie ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ans:I heard there is a price increase of 3% for creta ev in April. Also almost all states have increased registration charges of EVs and it is going to be expensive from now. For eg. in kerala the registaton fee will Jump by 1.4L and i do not think creta will be discounted more than that.

4. Initially will be dependent on the 3.3 kW charger, since running is low, over-night charging should compensate it. I will consider the Statiq Nectar 7.4 kW charger later, but out parking space needs a revamp for accomodating this. Does charging with the portable charger in the open require any additional considerations?

Ans: I am personally using 3.3 Kw charger to charge my car. It takes almost 17 hours to charge to full ( so i do it in 2 days). Just invest in good electricians and make sure earthing is good. Also make sure there is cut off in case of electrical fluctuation( to save your charger)


5. I do not think NMC or the battery hanging out is a big issue in itself. Good charging habits should compensate for degradation, and the ground clearance seems to be more than enough. But online comments point these concerns a lot.

Ans: I do not think this is a serious concern, Your car has a warranty and use it in full. NMC battery weigh less and i think is a reason for Creta efficiency

6. They promised the 100 kW DC charging update in H2'25, but the mention about this is almost non-existent in most of their materials.

Ans: I do not think this should be a reason for purchasing decision. Even if it gets updated, most of the charging stations won't have that capacity.

[Sentau]

Originally Posted by sirishant

Hi, this is my first post on the forum! Looking to replace my 2016 Baleno Delta 1.2, and the Creta Electric is at the top of the list. This car is intended for use by my parents and is mostly for city drives, with occassional once-in-three-months 1000km round trip.

I would worry if people of the same age as my parents will be able to understand what steps has to be taken to charge at a DC fast charger. I think you should clear the different apps, procedures, etc. with them before committing to an EV for them

Originally Posted by sirishant

5. I do not think NMC or the battery hanging out is a big issue in itself. Good charging habits should compensate for degradation, and the ground clearance seems to be more than enough. But online comments point these concerns a lot.

Hyundai EVs have an option to set a limit on the maximum charge percentange, i.e, if you set the charge limit to 80%(what is most recommended), the car will stop charging once the battery hits 80%. This is very similar to how we have options in iPhone and Samsung phones to limit charging to 85%. Once you set this limit (which can be set independently for AC charging and DC charging), you never have to worry about charging habits, degradation, etc., the car will keep itself within the recommended limits. Also with 80% charge, the car will still run around 300km so it should be perfectly usable.

[axm0316]

Originally Posted by Sentau

Hyundai EVs have an option to set a limit on the maximum charge percentange, i.e, if you set the charge limit to 80%(what is most recommended), the car will stop charging once the battery hits 80%. This is very similar to how we have options in iPhone and Samsung phones to limit charging to 85%.

Please do not do this. The only time i had an issue with my nexon EV max was when i limited my charge to 90% in zconnect app. This corrupted my BMS and the car broke down,. You can manually switch off at 80% but you will have to charge the car to full at least once a month. ( which is also noted in creta ev manual as 20-100% charge)

[vdk]

Originally Posted by axm0316

1. The insurance seems VERY expensive at 1.5L, for 3 years TP/1 year own damage. How does this compare with other EVs?

Ans: You can consider taking insurance from outside. I paid 1.28L for 3 years B2B insurance from HDFC life, including all electrical clause( this got bundled with my HDFC loan)

I bought iX1 recently so I can share my experience over insurance. Dealer quoted me 3Lac. It had all option included like battery protect, motor protect, zero dep, return to invoice, consumable. I declined it and started shopping outside. From ICICI and HDFC I got quote around 1.5 to 1.8Lac for 1+3 year policy. After that I had discussion with

Reliance they offered me around 1.4Lac with zero dep, battery/motor protection. Which I negotiated down to 1.25Lac for 1+3 year policy. I have used reliance in past for my old car and I did claim 2 twice was approved without much of hassle. I hope that will be case if I really need to claim in future.

[Sentau]

Originally Posted by axm0316

Please do not do this. The only time i had an issue with my nexon EV max was when i limited my charge to 90% in zconnect app. This corrupted my BMS and the car broke down,. You can manually switch off at 80% but you will have to charge the car to full at least once a month. ( which is also noted in creta ev manual as 20-100% charge)

All Tata EVs use LFP batteries. LFP batteries have a flat voltage curve from 10% to 99% so it very hard to get an accurate reading of the SOC. So to help out the BMS, we have to occasionally charge to 100% so that the BMS is re-calibrated. This is why your Nexon EV max BMS got corrupt. Hyundai EVs come with NMC chemistry batteries which have a linear voltage throughout. This makes it very easy for the BMS to get SOC information as the voltage corresponds to the charge state and so the BMS does not suffer the risk of corruption. You do not have to charge your Creta EV to 100% once a month (I could not find this in the user manual either).

Refer to this video by Dr. Jeff Dahn, whose team conducts battery research for Tesla, for the best practices for NMC batteries. He is probably one of the reasons why Teslas are very efficient and why they have such excellent BMS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i31x5JW361k

This second video is also by Dr. Jeff and it contains tips for both LFP and NMC batteries along with explanations as to the differences between the 2 chemistries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWyORTmxodc

[axm0316]

Originally Posted by Sentau

You do not have to charge your Creta EV to 100% once a month (I could not find this in the user manual either).

It is actually mentioned in page 1-8 of manual ( attached screenshot)

[Sentau]

Originally Posted by axm0316

It is actually mentioned in page 1-8 of manual ( attached screenshot)

Hmmm. It is seems I considered the last part in the bracket as unrelated to the earlier line and was wondering why Hyundai is suggesting that we should charge a vehicle that is being used daily at least once a month.

I think the recommendation is so that cell balancing takes places regularly. It is weird though because NMC cells maintain their balance much better and shouldn't need such regular balancing.

Still if the user manual says so, better that the owners such as you and others abide by it.

[raghukodali]

Got our Creta electric delivered yesterday and drove about 60km.

Very satisfied with the initial impressions.

Attachment 2741353

The overall experience from Blue Hyundai (Mysore Road branch) in Bangalore is very satisfying as well.

[anb]

Originally Posted by axm0316

Please do not do this. The only time i had an issue with my nexon EV max was when i limited my charge to 90% in zconnect app. This corrupted my BMS and the car broke down,. You can manually switch off at 80% but you will have to charge the car to full at least once a month. ( which is also noted in creta ev manual as 20-100% charge)

Creta has NMC battery and Tata has LFP battery. LFP battery should be charged to 100% But the charging to 100% in NMC battery result in faster degradation. Limit the charging to 80% in NMC and small charging cycles (40-70 , 50-80 etc) everyday is the ideal charging pattern for NMC battery . For LFP battery , long charging cycle (20-100 or 30-100) is ideal.

[kandyfloss]

I'm torn between the Creta EV and Creta N Line. For my budget, the turbo DCT fits the best but I'd totally opt for EV provided 3 major concerns/questions are addressed about it's longevity. I'd be a first time EV owner, with it being the only car at home for a family of 2 (occasionally 4 traveling together)

1) Battery life - Would my EV be vulnerable to the risk of it becoming outdated quickly given the rapid pace of evolution in battery & charging tech + software?

Perhaps in the next 5-8 years already there could be higher capacity, more optimal batteries.

Or is a vehicle like Creta EV designed to support retrofitting new/better batteries in future?

2) Do we know with good reason & data that batteries will become significantly cheaper 10 years from now?

So perhaps, not a 8 lakhs bill but more like 4-5 L (not adjusting for inflation)?

3) Is battery reconditioning an option at all to restore life beyond warranty period?

[electric_eel]

Originally Posted by kandyfloss

I'm torn between the Creta EV and Creta N Line. For my budget, the turbo DCT fits the best but I'd totally opt for EV provided 3 major concerns/questions are addressed about it's longevity. I'd be a first time EV owner, with it being the only car at home for a family of 2 (occasionally 4 traveling together)

1) Battery life - Would my EV be vulnerable to the risk of it becoming outdated quickly given the rapid pace of evolution in battery & charging tech + software?

Perhaps in the next 5-8 years already there could be higher capacity, more optimal batteries.

I think these are the wrong questions. Let me explain. Firstly do not worry about the battery life as it will outlast your car. As for newer tech outdating the current tech, I can guarantee you that it will happen. But also remember that this "fancy new tech" will also out date your Creta N-line.

The 1000 Km in 10 min kind of technology of the future is in the future. You are not choosing between that and today's EV. You are choosing between today's EV (Creta EV) and today's ICE (Creta N line).

Also do not wait for any solid state battery that is being hyped around. And definitely not for the snake oil that is Hydrogen cars.

Or is a vehicle like Creta EV designed to support retrofitting new/better batteries in future?

It is like asking whether one would want to do a engine swap when a new engine comes in the market. Trust me you will not (and need not) do it

2) Do we know with good reason & data that batteries will become significantly cheaper 10 years from now?

So perhaps, not a 8 lakhs bill but more like 4-5 L (not adjusting for inflation)?

3) Is battery reconditioning an option at all to restore life beyond warranty period?

There is no 8 lakh bill you will have to pay at the end of 10 years. It is like thinking that you will have to do an engine overhaul after 3 years (or whatever is your car's warranty period). Your current battery will survive for much longer than that and when the car is done, it can be recycled to be used as battery storage in power storage solutions.

[kandyfloss]

Originally Posted by electric_eel

I think these are the wrong questions. Let me explain. Firstly do not worry about the battery life as it will outlast your car. As for newer tech outdating the current tech, I can guarantee you that it will happen. But also remember that this "fancy new tech" will also out date your Creta N-line.

Thanks appreciate it!

ICE cars have, for example, by large delivered similar range / mileage over the last decade or so. For a car the size of creta - 60 litres, 10-18 kmpl has been the standard.
Range probably around 500-650 km on full tank.

I'm not as concerned about the fancy tech/ features in an ICE car outlasting its predecessor in 5-10 years time as I'm about the core of it i.e engine or battery becoming extremely outdated.

Has ICE tech evolved so much in a decades time historically from a efficiency perspective? Not that I know of except hybrid cars.

Are we to assume that the EV today (in its nascent stage) with a 51 kWh capacity and a charging tech that it has, with real world range 380-400 kms would continue to remain relevant after 8 years ? Let's take an average of 12-15k kms / year of usage.

Imagine that battery & charging tech evolves so much (which seems realistic) that the EV from today doesn't hold up to any of it's equivalent variants in the future. To the extent that no one even wants to buy it second hand.

The only area where I see ICE cars could probably level up to is the quality & evolution of hybrid vehicles.

True, that it's a decision of buying what its offering 'Today' but when you spend 20+L on a piece of machinery, I'd for sure want to account for what the future holds in it - think maintenance, evolving tech, quality of service or experts in the market, infra etc.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the sheer driving experience of an EV but I'm not in a position to be 'loose' with my money hence the careful evaluation. I wonder if there's an ICP for EVs on offer in the market today.

[saurabh_TB]

Hello Fellow Creta Electric Owners,

I recently purchased the Creta Electric LR. I am thinking of installing a 3-phase home AC charger as the 3.3KW charging takes a really long time, and I need to decide between the 11kw and 22kw version. The price diff. is not that much (~4k). The wiring requirements/cable size is also the same(10 sq mm).

I can't seem to find the info anywhere that tells me the max AC fast charger rating for Creta Electric. Would it support 22KW charging, or should I stick with the 11KW version?

Any guidance on this would be most helpful. Thx.

-Saurabh

p.s. Here are some pics of the car at a local detailing studio, where they are trying to make it look like an N-line with darked-out grey bits.