Which is the best vehicle type for a daily commute of around 100 km: EV, petrol, CNG, or diesel? We undertake long drives only once every six months. Please help me choose the right car.

Autocar India

•5h

For city use, moving up from your 2022 Swift automatic, you should consider a small, easy-going EV like the Tata Punch EV. The Tata Punch EV with the larger battery best fits your needs. It’s similar to your Swift in size, so parking and driving in traffic will feel natural, but it is much quieter and smoother. It also cuts running costs for daily office runs, and if you can charge at home overnight, you’ll cover several days of city trips without worry. The ride quality is also comfy, you get a good view out of the cabin given its higher seating position, and it is a feature-rich SUV.Do note, though, if you plan on doing highway trips, you will have to plan your charging stops. Alternatively, if you want the smallest EV purely for city usage, consider the MG Comet.

Tata Punch EV

Autocar India

•2d

You’re moving from an Ignis and want a small, city‑friendly pure EV where comfort matters more than range or speed. Given that brief, we would pick the Tata Punch EV with the Standard battery in a mid trim, rather than the Long Range. It suits your use because the size is still easy to park, the higher seat makes it simple to get in and out, and the suspension feels more comfortable on broken city roads than most small cars. Compared to your Marutu Suzuki Ignis, the Tata Punch EV rides much better, and the cabin is far quieter, so your daily runs will feel calmer. Since you don’t need a big range, the Standard battery keeps price and weight down, which helps ride comfort too.Two things to keep in mind. The Punch EV is a touch larger than the Tata Tiago EV, so in very tight parking, the Tiago is still the easier tool. Also, Tata’s charging network is improving, but still uneven by area, so check chargers near your regular routes before you decide.On your question about more small EVs from Hyundai or Maruti, as of now, neither has a small, affordable city EV in showrooms. Maruti’s next EV is expected to be an MPV, and Hyundai too has nothing in the same bracket as the Punch EV. If you want the smallest footprint today, the Tiago EV remains the other good pick, but for comfort-first city use, the Punch EV fits your brief best.

Tata Punch EV

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

Tata Tiago EV

Autocar India

•11h

For a daily 100 km run in Delhi with a Rs. 20-25 lakh budget, the Hyundai Creta Electric Excellence LR is the right fit. It has enough real-world range to cover a few days of running for you and still leave a healthy buffer. In our testing, it delivered a real-world range of around 432 km. Its size also makes it easy to park and weave through city traffic, the cabin feels premium and feature-rich, and the ride quality is comfortable as well. The Creta Electric was also updated recently, bringing improvements in both range and charging speeds.Downsides to note: while performance is smooth and seamless, it does not feel as powerful on the highway as some larger and more expensive electric cars. Also, it doesn't have the wow factor generally associated with new-age EVs. Alternatively, if you want something flashier, consider the Mahindra BE 6.

Hyundai Creta Electric

Mahindra BE 6