Tata Nexon EV vs Mahindra XUV400 vs MG ZS EV. We did the math on actual ownership cost — fuel, maintenance, insurance, depreciation — over 5 years and 60K km. The result is more nuanced than EV vs ICE memes suggest.

Across 5 years and 60,000 km of Indian-style ownership, a Tata Nexon EV at Rs 17 lakh on-road costs about Rs 8 lakh less to operate than a comparable Nexon Diesel (Rs 12 lakh on-road). The savings come from electricity at Rs 0.80-1.20/km vs Rs 6-8/km for diesel, lower maintenance, and zero engine repairs. But depreciation flips the math. EVs in India lose 40-50% of value in 3 years vs 25-30% for popular ICE models. Battery anxiety, charging infrastructure gaps, and uncertain battery replacement costs after 8 years are pricing risk into the resale market. The practical answer: if you're keeping the car 5+ years and have home charging, EV wins decisively. If you're flipping in 2-3 years, ICE still wins. Don't buy EV for the environment — buy it for the math, and only if the math actually works for your usage.