1,459 km in a Nexon EV 45: Real-World Highway Range & Charging Report

Can you drive from Hyderabad to Shirdi and back in a Nexon EV 45 — with four adults, a full boot, and 42°C summer heat — without drama?

Harsha did. And he documented every kilometre.

This article is based on a trip log submitted by Harsha to ElecTree's EV Road Trip platform. View the complete pit stop by pit stop breakdown here.

Quick Verdict

*Petrol at ₹105/litre, 15 km/l highway efficiency for a comparable ICE SUV.

The Vehicle and Conditions

• Car: Tata Nexon EV Empowered Plus 45 (45 kWh battery)
• Odometer at start: 25,530 km
• Passengers: 4 adults
• Boot load: 60 kg
• Departure: 4:00 AM, April 18, 2026
• Ambient temperature: 38–42°C throughout
• AC: Running at 23–25°C for the entire trip
• Regen braking: Level 2–3 across most legs

The ARAI-claimed range of the Nexon EV 45 is 489 km. In these conditions — maximum passenger load, peak summer heat, AC on full — the effective range per charge cycle was approximately 300 km. That is 61% of the ARAI figure. This is not a criticism of the car. It is what any vehicle delivers when carrying four adults through a 42°C Indian summer. Knowing this number before you plan is the point of this article.

The Route

• Hyderabad → Omerga → Beed → Shirdi (Day 1) 
• Shirdi → Aurangabad → Beed → Omerga → Hyderabad (Day 2)

Pit Stop Ledger

The instrument cluster at the end of the journey independently verified the data.

Charging Cost vs Petrol

Petrol estimated at ₹105/litre at 15 km/l highway efficiency. Actual savings will vary by vehicle and fuel price.

On a single trip, the Nexon EV 45 cost less than half what a comparable petrol SUV would have. For a family making this journey once or twice a year, the running cost advantage compounds meaningfully over time.

Infrastructure Reliability Report

This is the section that matters most for anyone planning this route.

1. Chargezone (Omerga) — Reliable. Used twice, both times without issue. 60 kW and 120 kW guns available. Good location at a hotel with food available. Recommended as a primary stop on this corridor.
2. Nikol EV (Beed) — Reliable and recommended. Used twice. Consistent 60 kW output. Solar-powered setup. Owner is installing a 180 kW charger nearby. This charger saved the trip on Day 1 and is worth bookmarking for anyone on this corridor.
3. Jio BP Pulse (Shirdi) — Reliable. Located at the overnight hotel. 80 kW charger delivering 60 kW. Convenient for overnight charging. The hotel also provides EV cars to ferry guests to the temple — useful for Shirdi-bound EV travellers.
4. EV Pump (Aurangabad) — Reliable but requires its own app. Worked seamlessly once set up. Download the app before the trip.
5. Tata Power (Beed) — Not available. The planned charger was missing entirely.
6. BPCL (Beed area) — Not working. Three chargers, all non-functional on the day of visit.

⚠️ The 20% Rule

Harsha's biggest takeaway from the Beed experience: never arrive at a primary charger with less than 20% SoC in remote corridors. The Beed area has over 15 DC chargers within 30 km — infrastructure density is not the problem. Operational reliability on any given day is. A 20% buffer is not overcaution. It is the difference between a detour and a rescue.

What the Data Tells You

Three findings from this trip that apply to any EV owner planning a similar drive:

1. Real-world range in Indian summer is approximately 60% of ARAI. With four adults, 60 kg luggage and AC running at 42°C, the Nexon EV 45 delivered around 300 km per charge cycle. Plan legs of 250 km maximum between stops in peak summer.
2. The 45 kWh battery is capable on long drives. The car completed a 1,459 km round trip in 45 hours without any battery, thermal or mechanical issues. Harsha's conclusion: he is now confident to plan something longer.
3. Always have a backup charger identified. The trip nearly went wrong not because chargers were absent but because the planned ones were unavailable. Identify a backup within 20–30 km of every primary stop before you leave.

The Final Number

₹4,660 for 1,459 km with four adults.

Harsha left at 4:00 AM on April 18. He was home by 1:00 AM on April 20. Two Darshans at Shirdi, one near-miss at a charging stop, and a car that proved it could handle a proper Indian road trip.

The Nexon EV 45 passed this test. The planning almost did not.

Data source: Trip log submitted to ElecTree's EV Road Trip platform by Harsha. View the complete log here.

Image Note: While this article is based on the real-world trip data and odometer logs provided by Harsha, the feature image used is a different Tata Nexon EV 45 to represent highway charging conditions.