A collective sign went off from office colleagues when I mentioned that the Comet is joining our long-term fleet. I could see the smiles and the sniggers as each one conjured up images in their mind as to how I would handle such a small car, that too an EV. On the appointed day, we had a brand new Comet delivered to us with 50 kilometres on clock. Another 75 kilometres later, the Comet is now growing on the entire staff and getting the key has become a huge task – especially if it’s a Saturday and all the guys are out to impress…
The design is funky. With no boundaries of conventional car design, the monoblock kind of design looks funky. Connected LED strips front and rear light the way whilst the use of LEDs all over makes this vehicle highly energy efficient. Point to note are the front headlights that actually do a very bright beam with a proper spread in terms of both distance and projection. Heck, it is a better headlight than even some of the newer cars launched with LED lights.
Inside, she is all about beauty and practicality. The white-grey combination works well, and I am glad its not only drab plastics everywhere. The interior is beautifully finished and the twin 10.25-inch screens are a standout in terms of clarity and responsiveness. Some things are quite thoughtful, like the cup holders in front of the AC vents, but the lack of a glovebox does make the space a little strained. You do get two baggage hooks built into the lower part of the dash, though which also holds the USB slots. There are two rear seats, access through which is by the large doors on the side. Ingress/egress is quite easy and rear space is on par. The rear seat squab is a bit high, but you do get adjusted to it, while remembering that the Comet is basically an urban roundabout. There is an infotainment system with 2 tweeters and 2 woofers so sound quality is quite nice. You don’t need more than that because this is not a chauffeur driven car! The glasshouse effect is excellent and you get a super view all around. There is a rear camera with guidelines that helps you park.
The car is very intelligent and unlocks itself when you approach it. I just love the system where you just sit in, press the brake pedal and off you go! True keyless…the knob selector for drive, reverse and neutral also features an indicator to indicate when the vehicle is charging. You can only charge the Comet at 3.3 kWh, which means that a 10-80% charge will take 5 hours. A full charge allows in excess of a 200 kilometres running from the 17.3 kWh battery that in conjunction with a permanent magnet synchronous motor delivers 42 horses and 110Nm of torque to the rear wheels. Power delivery is linear rather than blistering and in ‘Normal’ mode, it can be quite fun to weave through traffic. Need more oomph? Simply press the switch in the dashboard for better performance. There is an “Eco” mode too, if you need to save power.
The Comet costs between INR 6.99 lakh to INR 8.58 for the top model, all prices ex-showroom. Recently the prices have been revised downwards and this makes it a better proposition. But then how is the car to live with? Stay with us as we put the Comet through its pace over the next few months and bring you an update. Right now everyone in office is enjoying the car but only after living with it over an extended period of time we well know better. Or will we?
