Hello Autocar Team, I am in urgent need of a new car but am unsure whether I should buy an EV now or wait for 4-5 years for the EV market to mature. My total running would be around 80,000 km over 5 years, with approximately 60% of my driving on highways. Given my usage pattern, should I go for an EV, CNG, or petrol car? What would be the best choice for me at this point?

Autocar India

•1m

Given that the majority of your driving is on highways, we'd advise you against an EV and even a CNG. The EV charging network isn't very dense on highways, and many of the functional charging stations aren't very reliable. The long charging times will add hours to any long journey, and there's also the worst-case scenario of being stranded with no charge. EVs are ideal for city use but not as highway cars.

It's a similar story with CNGs. The CNG network is centred around cities but is sparse on highways. CNGs do offer the flexibility to switch to petrol mode when you run low on gas. What also works against CNGs is the drop in performance on CNG mode, and this is most noticeable on highway drives. Further, CNG tanks eat into luggage space, making them less suitable for driving holidays.

Petrol is the most sensible choice in the current scenario. A petrol will be more expensive to tank up than a CNG (or charge an EV), but there are a few other negatives. There's also the widest choice of cars as well as filling stations.

Was this helpful? Ask a follow-up

More questions on similar cars

M Murali

•1w

I am looking to buy a petrol automatic car under ₹12 lakh, primarily for city driving. My main priorities are good mileage, ease of driving, and overall affordability. Could you please suggest the best options available in this budget?

Autocar India

•1h

While there are quite a few petrol automatic options within your Rs 12 lakh budget, the most fuel-efficient options include the Maruti Suzuki Baleno AMT (and its twin the Toyota Glanza), Maruti Suzuki Dzire AMT, Maruti Suzuki Swift AMT, Maruti Suzuki Fronx AMT (and its twin the Toyota Taisor). All feature AMT gearbox options. While AMTs aren't the most sophisticated or smoothest type of automatic transmission, they are fine for average city driving. What sets AMTs apart from other automatics is real-world fuel economy, which is on par and sometimes even better than a comparable manual's. Of the above options, we'd choose between the Baleno, Glanza, Fronx and Taisor. Their larger 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine makes them feel a bit zippier than the Swift and Dzire that use 1.2-litre three-cylinder units.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

Munjaal Solanki

•2w

I am planning to buy the Tata Punch facelift automatic CNG variant, but I am very confused between the available variants. My key requirements are cruise control and a 360-degree camera in the automatic CNG version. Could you please advise which variant I should choose?

Autocar India

•1h

The Tata Punch CNG-AMT is available in four variants - Pure +, Adventure, Adventure S and Accomplished + S. While a 360-degree camera is part of the package from the Adventure trim onwards, cruise control is, sadly, not offered on any version of the Punch CNG-AMT. Cruise control is part of the package on the Punch NA petrol MT, NA petrol AMT and CNG MT.

Tata Punch

Abhee Parmar

•1w

I want to buy a sub-4 meter compact SUV. My daily travel is 110km. Should I buy EV, CNG or diesel? Which car should I buy for a budget of ₹13 lakh?

Autocar India

•2h

For your 110km commute, an electric car only makes sense if you can charge it at home overnight. In your budget, the Tata Punch EV with the 40kWh battery pack is a good pick and should deliver a real-world range of over 250km. This means you will likely need to charge it every two days. With the optional 7.2kW wallbox charger, you should be able to charge from 10% to 100% in around six hours.However, if home charging is not an option, then a diesel or CNG car makes more sense. Among the available options, the new Punch CNG and the Hyundai Venue diesel stand out. The top-of-the-line Punch CNG Accomplished + S with the AMT is within your budget and comes well equipped, along with a usable boot thanks to the twin CNG tanks.If you prefer diesel power, then the HX5 variant of the Venue diesel is within your budget. While it is not as well-equipped as the Punch, it is the physically larger vehicle with a roomier interior, and the diesel engine offers much better performance. However, if you want an automatic, you will need to stretch your budget to around Rs 14 lakh.Test drive all of these vehicles before making your final decision.

Hyundai Venue

Tata Punch

Tata Punch EV

View all Posts