Are you a person who wants to buy a vehicle but is not sure which one to buy? Are you one who swears by the old-fashioned models or wants something much more millennial and hip-hop? Well, here’s something that might make your search a little easier.
Electric cars in India are the new trend and the country is hoping to phase out gas vehicles by 2025. None of us knows about the truth behind that, but we would surely be benefited highly if that is the case.
Ever since India gained quite a reputation in being one of the top countries in the Climate Risk Index, the government has been trying to make amends and introduce more of the concept of green mobility and environment-friendly cars. Electric vehicles are not a unique thought but in India, it has been started pretty late.
Nevertheless, this has been quite an advantage to the country, not only environment-wise but also for the public.
Here are some of the facts about electric cars in India
1. Types of Electric Cars
This is something essential that you want to know before enrolling in the market. There are mostly three types of electric cars available. These are:
- Solar-powered electric cars
- Hybrid electric cars with a mix of internal combustion and batteries
- Electric cars also have a battery pack on board. These electric cars are called Battery Electric Vehicles or BEVs.
2. A Wiser Alternative
An electric vehicle might raise a lot of questions in your mind. “How should I manage it?”, “What if it goes out of control amid the road?”, and so on. Do keep in mind, electric cars come with lower maintenance, and end up being cheaper in the long run. With petrol and diesel prices hiking in every place, electric cars in India are certainly a better choice.
3. Cost Aspect
An electric vehicle indeed costs more than a normal gas-run vehicle of any sort. If you take the Tata Nexon for example, it has an ex-showroom price of INR 6.99 lakh, but when you consider the Tata Nexon EV, it costs INR 13.99 lakh.
The upfront cost of the vehicle is certainly more, but if you weigh the pros and cons and are looking for something for a longer period, then an EV is a good investment. In the long run, maintenance costs are much cheaper and BEVs run on battery, hence no petrol needed.
4. Infrastructure Requirements
Here is a point where the EV does not stand out so significantly like traditional vehicles. The structures are being updated time and again, but still, it is not as good as the vehicles with conventional structures.
Also, a public charging station for electric cars in India is very rare and hence, people take a step back in this case. It can be more of a second choice than a first one if you are new to EVs.
5. Battery Performance
As for battery performance, EV cars have a certain limit to performing. Since there are no chances of charging on the road, batteries for electric cars in India need to be far more durable and long-lasting than any other one. However, Hyundai Kona Electric has the most comprehensive range of 452 km in one round.
This also automatically includes the distance an EV can cover and therefore, how the vehicle can be used, as a regular household vehicle or as a long trip one.
6. Options Available
This is where India is making quite a lot of effort. It began with Hyundai Kona Electric and was supported by the similarities of the MG ZS EV and the Tata Nexon EV.
If you want something chic and luxurious, you can also opt for the Mercedes EQC EV. The German car company has driven up competition for electric cars in India with their innovation in the industry. It has been ranked 7 out of 10 by Autocar India.
Jaguar has also answered the Mercedes company by launching their I-pace and the model is an absolute beauty. It also has an Autocar India rating of 8 out of 10.
Even Mahindra and Maruti have been dropping hints about launching their line of EVs soon. With the introduction of Tesla cars in India in 2020, even Tesla EVs could be hitting the market pretty soon. However, Tesla car prices in India are a bit on the upper side of INR 1.5 Cr.
7. Measures for Driving this Industry Forward
This concept is fairly new to the Indian market and hence, it is still in the developing stage. Delhi has already started taking measures for a free road tax on battery-powered vehicles. Several other companies are already installing charging units for charging such EVs on the road.
Governments can also help in their little ways by introducing certain loans and by facilitating the flow of capital to manufacturing sectors.
Conventional vehicles need to be done away with for good to phase out the usage of petrol or diesel from India completely. Only then can electric cars in India become the first and foremost option in vehicles.
8. High Cost of Manufacturing
Building electric cars in India is not child’s play and it needs a lot of resources. With less demand in the market for EVs in India, there is also a dearth of the money that is available for the manufacturers across India to develop more models easily available to the public.
This also affects the consumers and the cost at which they will be buying it from the market. Hence, the cost of manufacturing needs to come down. Startups in India with the same objective in mind can request the government for a decrease so that the nation advances towards the adoption of EVs faster.
9. Domestic Manufacturers
Indian companies do not have a very strong grip in this market since it is a fairly new idealization. Also, the seriousness of the event has been clouded by the pandemic, manufacturing is at a low right now. The raw materials are a problem to import right now and hence, the supply for the demand for electric cars in India cannot be met fully. The small electric cars in India owned by Indian companies are on the run, but the international ones are quite rare to find. There is a need for more capital to build better designs for the market in India.
10. An EV First Nation
India might have begun the EV marathon quite late but better late than never, right? Also, India has a market that is quite price-sensitive and people will prefer electric cars in India under 5 lakhs than ones with higher costs. Research shows that electric vehicles which have been sold mostly are 95% two-wheelers. People do not have an exact impetus to buy electric cars in India. If people come to know about the advantages, then there might be a growth in the urgency to buy more electric cars in India.
Conclusion
EVs in India can be the new trend once this pandemic situation is over and the government comes up with new rules. We are looking at an age full of newer and advanced things. We hope that India also becomes a nation that will contribute to the cause in its way.
