as a year-end discount car Companies and dealers have started coming in, new buyers are reshuffling with many decisions. This year, rising petrol/diesel prices and high pollution levels in metros have added another question to the decision basket: Should I buy one? Lightning car? Potential buyers have a million questions: Are electric cars affordable in the long run? Where and how is the car charged? Is charge infrastructure in place? To help such buyers, ET Wealth weighs the pros and cons, and provides comparisons with other fuel cars so that they can make an informed decision. In association with CarDekho.com, we also present a list of electric cars in the market and which are likely to be launched soon.

Growth and prospects
An electric car runs on electric power either partially or wholly by using the energy stored in the battery, whereas petrol And diesel Cars use an internal combustion engine (ICE). Although electric vehicle The (EV) market in India is at an early stage, with the government’s efforts to improve infrastructure and offer incentives that mean the share of e-cars is projected to grow to 12% of passenger cars by 2025-26, a report said. According to JMK Research and Analytics. In fact, registrations for new electric passenger cars grew 109% year-on-year (YoY) and registered a 361.78% increase in sales in 2020. The government has also launched FAME or Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and). Electric vehicles, which are currently in Phase II (2019-2022) and include several financial benefits for consumers and manufacturers. The government has also launched a website https://www.eamrit to spread more awareness. niti.gov.in/ About EVS.

Pros and cons
Despite the growth prospects, the EV segment faces several challenges that increase the comparison with other fuel cars. “There are many things you need to consider before buying an EV, such as your spending preferences,” says Kartikeya Singhi, group editorial head, Girnarsoft, which runs the cardekho.com website. “Since you can buy a bigger car for the price of an EV, you need to ask yourself whether you need a bigger car or whether it is more important to go green and cover the additional costs with benefits over time. is,” he says. To answer these and other questions, consider the advantages and disadvantages of e-cars.

Read also:
How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

the profit

Low running cost: A big deciding factor for buying an EV is fuel cost and running cost. Since electric vehicles use electricity to charge the battery, and domestic electricity charges range between Rs 8-10 per unit, the monthly running cost is a fraction of the cost of petrol or diesel. So if your daily commute in Delhi is 30 km, you will spend Rs 5,375 per month on petrol, compared with the cost of charging an EV Battery With a capacity of 30.2 kWh and a range of 312 km, it will cost only Rs 697 a month at home, less than Rs 392 if you do it at a public charging station. This means that for a petrol car with a mileage of around 17 kmpl, your cost per km will be Rs 5.97, but for an EV with 30.2 kWh capacity, it will be only Rs 0.43 per km. The electricity rate may be different for different states, but it will still be lower than the cost of petrol or diesel.

Low Maintenance Cost: The construction of the electric car is such that you will spend less on servicing and maintenance. “Expect to pay less for maintenance as EVs have fewer moving parts that do not require as much fresh fluid or filters. Tata, for example, estimates about 25,000 on maintenance over a five-year period. It will cost Rs,” says Singhi. Compare this with the petrol or diesel variant, where you can easily spend Rs 7,000-10,000 annually.

clean environment: A driving factor for many buyers is zero carbon emissions and reduction in air pollution with EVs. While emissions from tailpipes are virtually zero, one also needs to consider emissions in power plants where electricity is generated, especially if it is a coal/fossil fuel based plant. In fact, the carbon emission for EVs is not zero, but it is still lower than petrol/diesel cars.

better performance: According to the US-based website, EV batteries convert 59-62% of energy into vehicle movement, while petrol-powered vehicles convert only 17-21%, making EVs more efficient. Also, the EVs are quiet and smooth as there is no exhaust system, which provides a good driving experience. They also accelerate quickly, making them responsive with good torque. “Most electric vehicles get flat floors with roomy interiors as well, as they have fewer powertrain parts,” says Singhi.

tax benefits: From assessment year 2020-21, Section 80EEB allows a deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh on interest paid on loans taken to buy electric vehicles. The loan needs to be sanctioned between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2023 and is allowed only for individual taxpayers or a person running a business. As per the Budget 2021 proposal, a ‘green tax’ will be levied on private vehicles after 15 years, while electric and hybrid vehicles will be exempted. Electric vehicles have also been exempted from road tax and registration cost in some states like Delhi, while the GST has been reduced from 12% to 5%. Meanwhile, the ‘Switch Delhi’ campaign in the capital offers a subsidy of Rs 10,000 per kWh to the first 1,000 eCars with a cap of Rs 1.5 lakh per vehicle.

Read also:
Best electric cars under Rs 24 lakh

Read also:
Best Luxury Electric Cars Under Rs 1.1 Crore

Electric Car Vs Other Fuel Cars

Here is the fare for the electric, petrol, diesel and CNG variants of the Tata Nexon across various parameters.

C1


drawbacks

High Purchase Price: Currently, a major obstacle to buying an electric car is the high upfront cost. While this can be offset by lower fuel, running and maintenance costs, as well as tax incentives, it is still a deciding factor for many as one can buy a larger petrol car for the same price.

Lack of infrastructure: Although you can charge an e-car at home, it is cheaper to do so at a public charging station, of which there are very few. Both private and public sector companies have already built station networks and are planning more, but setting up a larger network will take at least five more years. 350 stations have been added under FAME II; Tata has built 1,000 stations and plans to build 10,000 more in three years; IOCL has 448 EV charging stations and 30 battery swapping stations, and plans to install 10,000 at its existing fuel stations over three years; And BP is set to install 7,000 over the next few years.

Long Charging Time: While you can fill up your petrol/diesel car in minutes, it will easily take 6-8 hours to charge your car at home. It will take 35-60 minutes to charge to 80% even with a fast charger and a large battery. Limited Drive Range: Since a single charge provides a driving range of 200-400km, the lack of public charging stations means that electric cars are only good for intra-city drives, not long car trips.

Fewer options: Today, there are only 4-5 mass market electric cars in India and 5-6 in the luxury segment, with 5-6 more to be launched in the coming year. While government incentives to manufacturers are likely to increase their numbers, for now consumers have limited options.

High insurance cost: EV insurance is costlier than petrol cars because electric cars are more expensive due to state-of-the-art technology and higher capacity batteries, which increase the IDV. Also, while e-cars have fewer parts, they are more expensive like batteries, which are very expensive to repair or replace. While third party insurance rates are set by IRDA at 15% discount, comprehensive policy rates are much higher and do not cover the discount.

Read also:
3 Electric, Hybrid Cars Under Rs 60 Lakh

should you buy
If the green factor weighs heavily on your mind, choose an EV as the initial high cost of purchase will be offset in a few years. Also, buy one if you’re on a subway with public charging stations or can install one at home. However, it would make more sense to wait for 2-3 years so that you have more choice of cars and better charging station network.

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