Electric Upcoming Cars in India (31)

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Given your banking job with frequent transfers, moderate running and a budget of Rs 12 lakh, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza petrol is the most sensible choice. It is a reliable, low-maintenance car with a strong service network across India, which is crucial when you are moving between cities. It now gets a turbo petrol engine, so it has the performance you need in the hills. Its compact SUV form factor gives you enough ground clearance and practicality for hilly terrain without being difficult to drive as a new driver.Diesel does not make sense at your running level, and EVs in this price range either compromise too much on space or practicality. The Brezza strikes the right balance between ownership experience, reliability and ease of use, making it a car you will be happy with for years regardless of where your job takes you. If you want a slightly more premium feel and an automatic option, the Mahindra XUV 3XO petrol is also worth considering, but the Brezza remains the more rounded package.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Mahindra XUV 3XO

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Go for a petrol automatic with a torque converter gearbox. Your usage is low, mostly city with occasional highway trips, so petrol is the right choice and a torque converter automatic is the most reliable and stress-free option for city driving. The Hyundai dealer is incorrect – Hyundai cars use DCT gearboxes on turbo petrol engines and torque converter automatics on naturally aspirated petrol engines, and they are both completely different. DCTs can feel jerky in stop-start traffic and can throw up some issues, while torque converters are smoother and more reliable in the long run.The Maruti Suzuki Brezza automatic is the most sensible recommendation here. It uses a 6-speed torque converter automatic, is reliable, easy to drive in the city and has Maruti’s strong service network; the ride too is geared for plush low-speed city comfort, on highways though there is some float at higher speeds. On the EV side, your low running does not justify the higher upfront cost, and you do not have a clear financial case for it. On the fuel blending concern, modern petrol engines are engineered to handle E20, and there is no official roadmap beyond that, so it should not be a reason to avoid petrol. Furthermore, Maruti has said that they have built in a higher margin for material compliance to slightly higher ethanol blends, so on the material front you should be fine; mileage, though, would likely drop with higher ethanol blends, but this would be true across models. Thus, go for the Brezza automatic and you will have a hassle-free ownership experience.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

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The Tata Harrier EV will be a good option for your requirements of good road presence and a top safety rating. The Harrier has an imposing look and has secured a 5-star crash rating in the Bharat NCAP tests. It also has raft of active safety features like ADAS that can help prevent an accident especially out on highways. Reliability is a mixed bag as there have been issues reported, though Tata Motors has been making many improvements, opt for the Harrier if you have a good dealer near you. If reliability is the main concern then opt for the Hyundai Creta EV, the powertrain, electronics as well as the entire mechanical package are well engineered and you should have a trouble-free ownership experience.

Tata Harrier EV

Hyundai Creta Electric

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With a monthly running of around 500km, the financial case for an EV is not particularly strong, but the Tata Punch EV 40kWh can still make sense if you are looking for a modern, low-maintenance city car. This Tata electric car is compact, easy to drive and well-suited to urban use, and the 40kWh battery offers a healthy real-world range that should comfortably cover your monthly usage with minimal charging stops. However, at this level of running, the fuel savings over a petrol car will take a long time to offset the higher upfront cost of the EV. If you have reliable home charging and are keen on the EV ownership experience, the Punch EV is a sensible upgrade from your ageing City. If your priority is purely financial efficiency, a small petrol automatic like the Honda Amaze or Maruti Suzuki Baleno would be the more cost-effective choice.

Tata Punch EV

Honda Amaze

Maruti Suzuki Baleno