Here’s why an Electric vehicle is not a compromise and a true upgrade – EQ Mag

Battery being a significant part of any EV, the zero maintenance on battery also means that the overall maintenance on an EV is significantly lower than the ICE vehicles.

Electric vehicles as a concept in India were introduced in 2000 with REVA, the small car, and this car came with a whole lot of limitations. While the concept was well received, and REVA created an impact, the adaptability was way below expectations. Subsequently, when the government kickstarted its initiative for EVs in 2013, precisely 10 years before, another huge drawback was the limited charging infrastructure prevalent at that time. In contrast to the extensively grounded fuel stations for ICE vehicles, the public charging stations for EVs had consumers concerned about the battery dying out before they reached their destination. In retrospect, all these constraints didn’t just leave an impact on the user and the manufacturer but as a whole on the EV industry, declaring, ‘EVs are a compromise.’

Lack of personal ride experience

Even when the Government started the EV drive in India, the technology was such that the vehicles were seen as a less efficient means of transport in terms of speed and distance coverage, where a consumer spends a dime on its purchase and, in turn, spends the same to keep up with the maintenance and efficiency. But could we blame them? More so, the industry struggled to recognize the seeping gap that differentiated ICE from EVs. To make things worse, the fallout from the riding experience had come from more than just one underlying issue. Apart from being unreliable, sacrificing range, short battery life, and expensive replacements, there was also no personal ride experience which discouraged consumers from taking the massive leap from ICE to EVs.

With the drive from the central govt and various state govt, there are lots of EV players in the market competing against the established legacy players and really improving their performance standards and the ride experience. While so much has been improved on the product, the only way the perception based on the past can be changed is by personally riding the electric vehicle for anyone to be taken by a pleasant surprise that the EV ride performance is way above the ICE vehicles. By all means, EV vehicles are a clear upgrade from an ICE vehicle in terms of response, smoothness, swiftness, nimbleness, and agility. Now it’s just a matter of a ride.

Safety-related perceptions

The biggest deep-rooted fear that branches out for consumers while purchasing an EV is from preconceived notions regarding its safety standards. As we all know, lithium-ion batteries are what help run an EV. However, the power source for these vehicles is combustible as they incorporate power cells that could, under some circumstances, cause a short circuit if damaged, resulting in fire. When hundreds of companies started manufacturing/assembling EVs in a rush to qualify for the FAME subsidy, there were a few missouts on technical aspects leading to some stray incidents of the EVs catching fire in public. This caused an enormous sense of safety concern in the entire EV segment.

However, the stringent validation measures from the Government ensured all these players upped their game in terms of safety standards and ensuring the EVs are a safer mode of transport. Today we hardly hear of any fire accidents in an EV anywhere in the country.

Range anxiety – Universal public charger

Well, range anxiety is real, and the limited charging infrastructure from a decade ago could be the one to be blamed. As the name suggests, range anxiety is when an EV user runs low on charge and finds themselves anxious over the thought of the battery being insufficient for them to finish their trip, leaving them stranded. With the charging infrastructure being an ongoing development process in most cities in early 2013, it took a lot of work for a consumer to find a public charging station, especially while aiming to cover long-distance travel.

Today, with the government’s incentivization policy, there is a focused approach and effort to expand the EV charging infrastructure in the country. It has reached a stage where almost every public rail/bus station and even the oil companies have started establishing the EV charging infrastructure with the CCS 2 type chargers, which are the universal chargers of Electric vehicles across the globe. Lithium-Ion batteries have begun giving a much higher range than their last-gen counterparts. Typically like a mobile phone, if you charge your EV every night at home, you can avoid visits to charging stations and manage the daily requirements comfortably. This increase in range with broader availability of universal CCS2 charging facilities has already begun to boost user confidence which is evident from the increasing penetration of EVs in the country almost every month.

Zero maintenance Battery and EV

The lifecycle or longevity of the car and its battery is another widespread issue that causes buyers anxiety. Even though they were unreliable, replacing them with a new one could cost a fortune. The fact that an EV lacks a traditional combustion engine and an electric drive motor and environmental factors that could drain the battery’s energy contributed to the idea that EVs were unreliable and non-sustainable. Battery life cycles were substantially shorter ten years ago since they were based on a completely different technology. With the evolution in battery technology and lithium-ion battery proving to be of much higher standards, confidence in the battery life and performance has increased significantly.

Battery being a significant part of any EV, the zero maintenance on battery also means that the overall maintenance on an EV is significantly lower than the ICE vehicles, which have substantially higher moving parts while the vehicle is on the move. In EVs, it’s almost like a computer on the move.

Just as they say, ‘good things take time,’ it wouldn’t stand any different in this scenario. Over the last 15 years, with consistent focus from the govt and breakthrough innovation in the EV segment, the EV industry has been clearly becoming a winner, and it’s just that the consumer needs to try it once. This will make the transition to EV much faster than it would take otherwise in a typical scenario.

Why is EV a true upgrade

Superior ride/drive experience – Responsive, Swift, Agile, Smooth, Soft, Quite
Global universal charger – CCS 2 – type C of EVs – Evolving away from swappable battery
Increasing public charging network – Public, Private players
Lesser maintenance
Practical range available – Mobile like charging approach

Source: PTI