Tata Nexon is a popular subcompact SUV in the Indian market. It was rated 5-stars in Adult Occupant Protection and 3-stars in Child Occupant Protection as per the Global NCAP crash tests making it one of the safest SUV's in the country. Tata Nexon is not just inspiring people to buy, it served as an inspiration for a Chinese automobile. Fengsheng Automotive Technology, a subsidiary of Chinese auto giants Kandi and Geely, unveiled a new model named Maple 30x. The electric crossover Maple 30X design is quite similar to that of the Nexon. Maple 30X is available in the Chinese market for RMB 68,800, in Indian currency it roughly accounts to Rs 7.6 lakhs. From a price point of view, Maple 30X is Rs 5 lakhs cheaper than the Nexon. China is well-known for affordable electric vehicles and Maple 30X can be added to the list of cheap EV's available in that country.
So why we say Maple 30X and Tata Nexon look similar? From the front, Maple 30X grille design is exactly the same as Nexon facelift. In fact the bonnet too resembles the SUV while the rest of the design is unique apart from the point that it features a dual-paint scheme. This paint job is similary to what we see on the Indian SUV. As for the specifications, the Maple 30X is powered by an electric motor that churns out a maximum power output of 94hp. The company claims that the EV as a range of 300 kms on a single full charge. For the battery to recharge from 0 to 80 percent, the vehicle takes just 30 minutes.
This is not the first Chinese automobile firm to have copied auto designs. Alibaba backed Chinese startup Xpeng was accused of corporate espionage. It was alleged that Xpeng stole Tesla's Autopilot secrets and are currently caught in a legal battle. Xpeng is among other startups competing against Tesla on autonomous-driving vehicles. As we say imitation is the best form of flattery, Tata Nexon is surely loved by Indians who would prefer the original than the replicant.
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