The Rise of Indian Electric Cars: Mahindra has launched their BE 6E and XEV. These are amazing cars which can go up to 20 lakhs and can go up to 500 kms.
They look like Tesla’s Cybertrucks and it looks like an era of electric cars is being run by Indian companies. Tata brought it with their Nexon and Curve. Mahindra is doing a great job with their new Born Electric series.
Can These Electric Cars Succeed?
Can these electric cars be successful in the market? Let’s take a look at it. First of all, let’s talk about what is there in these cars which is better than a normal petrol or diesel car.
Electric Cars Offer Superior Comfort
If you have ever driven an electric car or if you are sitting in an electric car then notice a few things. There is less vibration and a comfortable riding experience which means you get less tired. Which means if you are driving 250 kms in a day, you can drive 300 kms in the same time and you get this level of comfort. In terms of comfort and technology these cars are better and more suitable compared to ICE cars.
Enthusiasts Love the Speed and Efficiency
If we look at this, the enthusiasts of electric cars like this car because it has a quick pickup. This car runs very fast.
The cost of driving this car is less. The comfort inside is good. The exterior design of electric cars is futuristic.
The features inside are so good which you get to see in the premium-end versions of electric cars, which you get to see in a good electric car at a very low price.
Production-Ready EVs, Not Just Prototypes
Even Mahindra which has launched BE60 and XE — these cars look futuristic but they have been made in such a way that they can be produced and sold in today’s time.
These cars will be available, which means it is not a prototype. It is a production-ready vehicle.
Tata’s Early Contribution
It was very interesting in India in the beginning. You know that Tata’s Nexon was the first electric car which was successful in little India.
They were designing kits in petrol cars which could be made into electric cars.
Basically, they installed electric battery packs and motors and the existing petrol vehicle was made. That was the first generation due to which the efficiency was not that much, but people got a good electric car at a good rate.
Generation Two: Tata’s Curve
After that Tata’s Nexon came and you got to see Tata’s Curve. This was their second generation where they designed a car platform in such a way that they can make an electric car and in this they can make a petrol car. So basically, this is how it was working.
Mahindra’s Born Electric Architecture
Mahindra went one level up. They made Born Electric platform in which they basically took one car and designed it in such a way that from start to end it will be an electric car — there will be no petrol version.
Due to which they had space where to install motors, where to install battery, how big battery pack they can install, to what extent they can save it. They made this platform.
MG and BYD Enter the Scene
Other than Mahindra and Tata, other companies are also developing and making electric cars in India. One of them is MG. They are selling more cars than Tata — MG’s Windsor EV, MG’s Comet.
MG’s story is that this Chinese company SAIC — they are bringing Chinese cars to India. Basically, their design is ready, they are bringing it to India, they are assembling it and selling it in India.
BYD’s Technological Edge
See, China market is very much ahead of EV cars. I can tell you this because I myself checked out BYD’s car — BYD’s C, BYD’s E7 Max.
BYD’s cars are still being imported to India but I think if BYD will start making their cars in India then they will be technologically very much superior and in very affordable rate.
Because even today if they bring imported cars they are around 30 lakhs and according to that you get Tesla-level features.
Although their branding marketing is not so much, but on a global level, BYD makes more cars than Tesla and their technology is also superior.
MG’s Affordable EVs
If we talk about MG company — MG made Comet last year which was their cheapest affordable electric car. They made a small car for a small city-to-city commute.
This year they brought Windsor which is not a small car — it is a big car in which you get a big glass roof. With that you get a good comfort and that too if you want to drive for a short distance. And back seat comfort is very good.
The EV Comfort Factor
I have seen a superiority in EV cars — that if you are sitting in an electric car for 10 lakhs then that comfort will bring you 30-40 lakhs petrol car or diesel car.
If you are sitting in an electric car for 30-40 lakhs then it will bring you 1 crore or 2 crore comfort. This is one thing I have observed.
Budget Constraints in India
In India, there are Indian manufacturers and some Chinese companies. They have cracked the product in the market — that in less than 20 lakhs they will give you a good car.
In less than 10 lakhs there are some options available like Tata Tiago, MG Comet and Windsor EV in which battery as a service also came with a program. That if you have to pay rent every month then the price of keeping the car will be reduced. They also brought one thing but it didn’t work.
Charging Infrastructure — The Real Hurdle
The main issue is charging. In EV car, you will take a car, take it out of the house, come back home and charge it. This is right.
If you take an EV car at home, set up a home charger — it will take 6-7 hours basically. But if you want to go for a long drive and you don’t want to come back home, then it is a problem.
Public charging infrastructure is not ready. Gun points are very limited. The next big problem is they are not maintained properly. I have not seen anywhere charging point or charging gun is shown — but if you go there to charge it, it doesn’t work.
Electric Two-Wheelers Are Leading
Electric scooter is a very good option. Charge it like a mobile phone. Drive it for 2-3 days. Battery will be 15-20%.
You bring it, put it in your charging point. It has a small charger — 600w, 700w, 800w — not more than that. Put it in a 700w charger. If you are going, put the charger in the boot. If you get a 3 pin socket, charge it there. It takes 5-6 hours to charge.
Battery Swapping and Charging Alternatives
Some companies in China are cracking EV charging. Some companies like NIO are cracking battery replacement. In India, it is difficult to do it practically.
You have to change the battery. Technology is advanced, but implementation is difficult. Battery swapping network is not successful. Difficult to scale it to pan India.
Service, Maintenance and Training Gaps
Service is important. If you buy a car, you have to ask. You can’t get it serviced everywhere. Even in 2 wheeler and 4 wheeler.
If I talk about a petrol car company — if it is providing good service, it doesn’t guarantee that it will provide service to electric car or electric 2 wheeler. I
t is not written anywhere. For electric car, service requirement is different. Technicians are different. Skill set is different. Infrastructure is different.
The Second-Hand EV Market
Some people ask what will be the value of its second-hand. Look, the second-hand market is not yet made of electric cars.
We are in such an early stage. People have not yet gone to the first-hand car — second-hand is a very far thing. It will be worth seeing how the second-hand car market will exist when it comes.
Battery Longevity and Innovation
Although people often have a doubt about battery health. Now I have put the battery, I will have to change the battery after 10 years.
The vehicles that came in the beginning had a problem. All those things were later resolved by the companies. And some people’s battery packs were also replaced for free.
If it is a good quality vehicle and it is tried and tested in the market — you can run it for a long time. And even 15 years of non-average life which was on your RC — an EV car can take out your 15 years. Because the battery pack is literally too big.
Nowadays LFP batteries, prismatic cells are also being used — shown by BYD. Because of which you have a long-range battery here. And yes, battery innovation will continue here.
Final Thoughts: What’s Next for Indian EVs?
If I talk in the context of India — will an electric car ever leave a petrol car behind? See electric cars are very good in India. They are doing a good job. I think the pricing is still quite advanced. It can come down a little.
But the whole issue of charging, infrastructure, service-related things — until these things are solved a little, there is not such a big revolution.
More rapid advancement, more competition, more vehicles — you are getting to see more products.
As compared to electric four-wheelers, in India electric two-wheelers have already hit here. They are creating a different type of revolution. To be able to create such a revolution in four-wheelers — it is a challenge.
If a company comes to India and solves the problem of charging very well — they are a game changer here. Because it’s not about the product.
Products are being made right here. Cars are being made right here. When it comes to charging infrastructure — things change.
Let’s see what happens in the coming time.
