I live in New Delhi and currently own a Honda Elevate (2023). My daily city commute is around 100 km. I want to buy an EV and have shortlisted the Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella and the Hyundai Creta Electric. Please suggest which one would be better, especially in terms of air conditioning, as Delhi gets extremely hot in the summer. Most of my driving is in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Autocar India

•1d

These two EVs are quite different in character and how you would use them. The Hyundai Creta Electric is a no-nonsense, practical SUV that is spacious, user-friendly, and very efficient. With a 51kWh battery delivering over 400km of real-world range, this Hyundai car is well-suited for everyday commuting and family use. The interface is intuitive, and there is a strong sense of familiarity if you have experienced the regular Creta; the EV variant essentially feels like a Creta with an electric powertrain.The Mahindra BE 6, on the other hand, is all about making a statement. Its radical design will turn heads, though it may feel a bit too polarising for some. It is the more driver-focused option here, with a sportier feel and impressive ride quality. The range is competitive too, but practicality takes a hit because the rear seat is not as accommodating, and the infotainment and controls are not as intuitive as those in the Hyundai.In the end, it comes down to your priorities. If you want a comfortable, easy-to-live-with EV that works well as a daily family car, the Creta Electric is the safer bet. If you are after something more distinctive, sporty, and primarily for self-driving enjoyment, the BE 6 fits the bill better.

Mahindra BE 6

Hyundai Creta Electric

Autocar India

•2d

Motion sickness in cars is usually caused by inconsistent movement, not the fuel type. It happens when the body senses motion, but the eyes do not match it, which is common in stop-and-go driving, frequent braking, body roll or jerky acceleration over longer drives.In petrol cars, this often comes from gear shifts, uneven power delivery and sudden braking, while in electric cars it can come from instant acceleration or strong regenerative braking if driven abruptly. So the root issue is how smooth or jerky the car feels, not whether it is petrol or electric.This is where newer EVs can actually help. Cars like the Hyundai Creta Electric and Kia Carens Clavis EV are among the smoothest to drive, with very linear acceleration, no gear shift shocks and a comfortable ride. Driven gently, they feel far more consistent in their movement compared to their petrol or diesel versions, which can reduce the chances of nausea.Compared to your Fiat Punto Evo, both will feel like a clear upgrade in refinement, ride comfort and overall smoothness.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Kia Carens Clavis EV

Autocar India

•1h

2,30,000km in 10 years is a huge amount, and the Ciaz diesel must have served you well to rack up that kind of mileage. Considering that usage, which amounts to around 1,900km per month, mostly on highways, we have to caution against getting an EV just yet. Public charging infrastructure is still developing, with chargers being few and far between, with varying degrees of functionality. Plus, if your planned charger is occupied, you could be waiting hours for access to a plug. Moreover, while there are electric cars today with large batteries and long ranges, such usage will still require frequent charging, which in the long run will take a toll on the battery's health, performance and overall lifespan. This could be offset by the relatively low maintenance costs of an EV versus an ICE vehicle, but when it is time for battery replacement, the cost will be high.With that in mind, of your two shortlisted EVs, we would recommend the Mahindra XEV 9e. While it shares its platform and powertrain with the smaller BE6, it is more spacious, more comfortable for long journeys, and feels like a more mature product overall. With the larger 79kWh battery, it offers an MIDC range of around 656km and a real-world highway range of about 488km, which amounts to an efficiency of 6.18km/kWh, which is quite impressive for an SUV.

Mahindra XEV 9e