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My monthly running is about 3,000 km, mostly on highways. Should I go for an EV?

Asked by: Ajay singh

Given your monthly running, yes you could opt for an EV as you would save on running costs. However there are three important things to consider. 

Personal charging: You should have the option to charge at home or at your place of work. This is the most basic requirement as living fully on public charging is very challenging, given the paucity of free and operational chargers as well as the time required to charge. 

The length of your journey; since you said most of you running in on highways, this is very important. Highway chargers are present but often can be occupied or even not operational, thus if your journeys are upwards of 300 kms, you will need to stop for charge with most EVs. 

The route elevation; besides distance the elevation of the route is important as you can lose a lot of range with steep and long ghats.  

Thus if your highway running is below 300 kms per trip with very few to nil ghat sections, you can safety opt for an EV, else you would be better off with a strong hybrid or even a diesel.   

      

Answered by
AI
Autocar India team2 Jan' 26

Latest questions

Asked by: Saran Raj

I currently own a 2021 Brezza manual and am planning to upgrade to an automatic car with a budget of around ₹25 lakh. Creta EV, Tata Sierra, and the new Seltos are on my list, but I’m confused. I like the Creta EV but am unsure about the 8-year battery warranty and charging infrastructure in India. I’m worried about Sierra’s after-sales service, and with Seltos I’m concerned about mileage in the city. Could someone help me finalize one?

Your worry around charging infra is well-founded. While the infrastructure is growing fast, it remains unreliable. EVs make good city cars if you have home charging, highway driving requires planning. Tata Motors is is actively working to improve service perception and quality. However, it continues to be a common concern among buyers.Given your priorities of good after-sales support and fuel efficiency, you can go for the Kia Seltos 1.5-litre NA petrol. The claimed mileage of around 17 km/l is competitive in this segment, and if you drive with a light-foot, you can get good mileage.
AI
Autocar India team
6 Jan' 26
Asked by: Kashish

My monthly running is 3000 km, and I currently have an MG ZS EV. I want to change to another EV with a larger battery pack. Most of my running is on the highway, and my budget is ₹20-25 lakh. Which car should I purchase? Please advise.

Mahindra XEV 9S Pack Two above 70 kWh, battery pack can be a good option for you. It is a spacious and practical EV, and if you don’t plan to use the third row, you benefit from a larger boot as well. Mahindra has spread the features well across the range, so even the lower variants feel adequately equipped. The car supports fast charging, which helps reduce charging time on highway runs. While the claimed range is 600km, the real-world range will be lower, but it should still be good for your kind of highway usage.
AI
Autocar India team
6 Jan' 26
Asked by: Nandan

I’m currently driving a 2017 Brezza diesel and want to upgrade. I drive around 20 km daily within the city early mornings and late nights. I need a safe 5-seater car for my family that’s easy to maneuver for parking, with a budget of around ₹20 lakhs. I’ve my sights on the Tata Sierra and Kia Seltos. Kindly suggest options other than Maruti and Toyota.

Both the Tata Sierra and Kia Seltos are good picks. The powertrain to pick in the Sierra lineup is the turbo petrol variant, however this iteration is only available in top variants. But this will be a couple of lakhs above the price band suggested by you. The 1.5-litre NA engine in the Sierra lacks the punch and is noisy. Instead, we would suggest going for the Kia Seltos, which gets well-equipped lower variants, and even the 1.5-litre NA is smooth and responsive.
AI
Autocar India team
6 Jan' 26
Asked by: Rahul Thakur

Hi, I am confused between the new Kia Seltos and the new Tata Sierra, both petrol variants. My monthly driving is around 500-700 km, mostly in cities. I am looking for an automatic turbo-petrol car or NA petrol with good driving quality and low maintenance. My budget is ₹20 lakh, not above that. Your team can suggest any other brand or model, provided it is not close to a facelift or next-generation update.

The Tata Sierra Turbo Petrol automatic goes well beyond your budget, as the Adventure Plus variant crosses Rs 21 lakh on road. With the Seltos, you can get the HTK(O) variant within your budget, and it is well-equipped with most essential features.Considering that most of your driving is in the city, we would suggest choosing the naturally aspirated variants. Between the two, the Kia Seltos is the better pick. Its 1.5-litre engine is more potent, the CVT gearbox is creamy smooth in stop-go traffic, and it is responsive enough when you need power for a quick overtake. In comparison, the Sierra’s 1.5 litre engine feels slower, and the DCT transmission is not as smooth.
AI
Autocar India team
6 Jan' 26
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