Unseen obstacles for new electric vehicle owners in India

There are quite a few companies like Tata Power and Zeon Charging who offer public chargers in south India. But it’s still not as easy as finding a gas station. (Photo by MyEnergi via Unsplash)

I’ve never smoked a cigarette and yet I’ve been a passive smoker who usually accompanies my buddies to designated smoking zones in hotels or office buildings. It’s here that smokers ‘strike up’ casual conversations over a light and also occasionally crib about have to hang out in the least glamorous, sometimes dingy areas of a hotel or mall. I’ve experienced the same bonding with fellow electric (EV) owners at public charging stations almost ever since I traded my luxury SUV for an electric-powered SUV earlier this year. Conversations at these charging stations almost always revolve around the driving range and inflexible apartment associations that are still figuring out how to install power points for EV chargers.

Why I bought an EV SUV

My purchase drivers for an EV resonate with most Indian consumers looking to make a shift to an electric car or an SUV – environment impact and cost of ownership. These are the key reasons that are driving the demand for EV bikes and scooters as well across India that are seeing unprecedented demand.

The cost of ownership is an easy win for EVs. Most EV car or SUV owners like myself will peg EV running costs/km at about 20 percent the cost of conventional automobiles. It’s the green credentials of EVs that usually trigger debates, especially when I’m up against serious auto enthusiasts who are not ready to let go of their prized possessions.

Environment question

Any debate around the environment revolves around upstream and tailpipe emissions. EVs have zero tailpipe emissions and that’s what EV manufacturers and pro-green policy makers have long used to justify the environmental impact claims. It’s the upstream emissions that have remained the grey area. This refers to all the steps involved in the production and distribution of EVs till rubber hits the road. The production of the battery (the key component that powers EVs) has often been used by EV detractors as an argument against the shift to electric vehicles. The US Environment Protection agency deflates this argument based on multiple findings that greenhouse gas emissions are considerably lower for EVs even after accounting for manufacturing batteries and other upstream emissions. My simple response to my anti-EV buddies is that the more I drive my EV, the more I’m saving the planet while the converse is true for their vehicles. By the time I’ve driven my electric SUV for, let’s say, 30,000–40,000 km over a 5- or 6-year period, I’ve further nullified their argument.

Early mover disadvantage?

India’s EV sector is booming. The Tamil Nadu government recently shared that two of every five electric vehicles sold in India are manufactured in the state. EVs (across categories) crossed the one-million threshold, according to vehicle registrations data with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway’s VAHAN dashboard. More than 400,000 of these vehicles were produced in Tamil Nadu. But the apprehensions around charging are not entirely unfounded. This remains one of the big challenges for car and SUV owners. All car manufacturers bundle chargers as part of the standard package. But the challenge is installing a power supply unit in your apartment building, especially if you’re the first EV owner in the building. I’ve waited through multiple owners and residents association meetings to figure how the line will be installed and the billing. It’s easier to manage this if you’re in an independent house.

All car manufacturers bundle chargers as part of the standard package. But the challenge is installing a power supply unit in your apartment building, especially if you’re the first EV owner in the building. (Photo by Michael Marais via Unsplash)

Range anxiety is a thing

The first time I heard the term ‘Range anxiety’ was during a short road trip in the US with a couple of my school buddies where we covered about 1,000 km in a Tesla around the East Coast in a day. I still haven’t driven my EV beyond 60 km from Chennai although I know I will make it to Bengaluru (my Electric SUV offers a range of about 275 km in city conditions) without too many dramas, thanks to public charging.

There are quite a few companies like Tata Power and Zeon Charging who offer public chargers in south India. But it’s still not as easy as finding a gas station to top your car with diesel or petrol. There have been days when I’ve run from one EV charging station to the other although this has been more the exception than the norm. Charging speeds are quite fast at public chargers and I’ve devised my own routines to make the most of the 45- to 60-minute charging cycles that take my SUV to full-battery capacity. I’ve also found that I use my car more judiciously with more carefully plotted routes to make the most of the battery. That’s a good thing.

Ready to take the leap?

Indians are making the switch. Delhi, for instance saw a 20 percent increase in EVs during the first half of 2023 (based on transport department data) that has come at the expense of diesel-powered vehicles. We’re seeing more public chargers in the grid and innovative start-ups in the mix. Hopcharge is pitched as the world’s first on-demand, doorstep charging solution that can power EVs in NCR whether they are parked in public or private spaces. India’s big shift to electric vehicles has begun and after eight months with an EV, I can say that it’s well worth the minor irritants. And yes, I look forward to road trips without range anxiety. That might happen soon too.