I need to commute 150 km per week. We have a petrol car at home and solar charging is possible at home. Should I go for MG Comet EV?

autocar.india

•1d

We'd recommend a small petrol hatchback. With an average running of just 200-300km per month, an electric car is unlikely to make financial sense as you'll find it difficult to recover the higher upfront cost through lower running costs.As for a solar EV, there are currently no solar EVs on sale in India. While a few manufacturers have showcased concepts and prototypes, there isn't a practical, mass-market solar electric car that you can buy today.For your usage, a car like the Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Wagon R or Hyundai Grand i10 Nios would be a better fit. They are reliable, inexpensive to maintain and well suited to low annual running. If you're keen on an EV for its quiet and effortless driving experience, the MG Comet EV is worth considering, but from a purely value-for-money perspective, a petrol hatchback is the more sensible choice.

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

MG Comet

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

autocar.india

•3h

Given your 90km daily commute and the fact that you will be relying entirely on a shared society charger, the key is to choose an electric car with a strong real-world range and fast enough charging speeds. The Tata Punch EV is the most sensible recommendation here. This Tata car should give you a real-world range of around 250km, which gives you plenty of buffer for your daily commute even if you cannot charge every single day. Tata’s EV ecosystem is well established, and the Punch EV is a proven product with good service reach and a robust ownership track record. The Tata Nexon EV is another strong option. It is larger and more spacious, and with a larger battery, you could get more out of a single charge. However, since you have a Carens diesel for big-car duties, the smaller Punch EV makes for a far better city car. Plus, while you will only get a low-spec variant of the Nexon EV in your budget, you will get a fully loaded variant with all the bells and whistles. Both Tata EVs charge at up to 7.2kW on an AC charger and 60kW on a DC fast charger, which is decent when you have to use a common charger.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Nexon EV

Kia Carens

autocar.india

•1d

For a 70km daily commute with only 7-10km of city driving, the Tata Tiago EV Creative+ 24kWh is a sensible and cost-effective choice. The Tiago EV is one of the most affordable EVs on the market, and its 24kWh battery is well suited to your usage pattern. With a daily round trip of 70km, you will be using roughly 30-40% of the battery per day, depending on driving style and AC usage, which means you can comfortably charge at home overnight without range anxiety becoming an issue.The Tiago EV is also compact and easy to manoeuvre, which is useful for the city portion of your commute, and its running costs are significantly lower than petrol or diesel alternatives. Compared to the Punch EV, Nexon EV and MG Windsor, the Tiago EV is the most budget-friendly option in electric cars. The Punch EV offers a higher driving position and more ground clearance, but it comes at a higher price and is not necessary for your usage. The Nexon EV and Windsor EV are larger and more expensive, and their extra space and features are unlikely to justify the additional cost for your daily commute.The only real drawback of the Tiago EV is its relatively small boot and basic interior compared to more expensive EVs, but for a daily commuter car, these are minor compromises. Overall, the Tiago EV Creative+ 24kWh is a practical and financially sound choice for your needs.

Tata Punch EV

Tata Nexon EV

Tata Tiago EV

MG Windsor