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View Poll Results: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?
Now baby! I'm ready 53 9.01%
Short-term (1 - 2 years) 54 9.18%
Mid-term (3 - 4 years) 129 21.94%
Long-term (5+ years later) 285 48.47%
Rubbish, no EVs for me 67 11.39%
Voters: 588. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 23rd December 2019, 18:19   #31
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Three things that I think are a challenge to EV adoption from my perspective are:
  • Price: Currently the premium for an EV is way to high compared to similar spec ICE models. It needs to drop to a comparable level.
  • Charging infra and time: I think this would be an easy nut to crack once the volumes grow.
  • Range: As a 2nd car, the current offered ranges are good enough. But for me to consider as primary car, the range should be close to 800-900km.


3-4 years looks to be a realistic time frame for these things to be figured out. It would still be I would say in an early adopter phase, which I would not mind entering.
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Old 23rd December 2019, 18:27   #32
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

I don't see myself buying an EV in the very near future, maybe 5 years away at least. By then, hopefully we will have many more brands and models to choose from, decent battery range for inter city travel to be possible (~500km), competitive & VFM prices, decent charging infrastructure at least.
*Also, hopefully the service related aspects would also have been standardized by then by the manufacturers (replacement with refurbished parts/batteries Vs brand new, etc).

Last edited by NPV : 23rd December 2019 at 18:32.
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Old 23rd December 2019, 18:53   #33
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Voted for Long Term (5+ years).
I am convinced that EVs are the future. But, it might not necessarily be Lithium Ion in its current form. More efficient electric power storage systems have to evolve. I have a measured approach towards EVs.
Why I chose 5+?:
  1. The car has to be reliable
  2. It should not cost an exorbitant price
  3. It should provide sufficient range (even if minimum viable charging infra is available, it will add to your trip time and planning. Fast charging has to become prominent)
  4. A good maintenance network should be available
  5. My current car will be with me for 5+ years
EVs are the future, but the path there is not as smooth as the mobile phone revolution!
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Old 23rd December 2019, 19:14   #34
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ashis89 View Post

1. Limited range: For me, the car should be able to do 1000 kms at a time with minimal down time.
!
Hmmm at this price bracket we get cars with 35L capacity. At 12KMPL inside city it will be 420KMS max in a tankfull. May i know why you want EV to offer double the ICE range at same price ? Instead of spending 15 mins in a petrol station you can charge the car at your apartment leisurely for 180 rs full charge. Assuming EB rare is 6 rs per kilowatt and charging 35 kWh is 180 rs roughly.

If it is outstation you are not talking about doing 1000 kms in one go right? You would stop for food? Say lunch or dinner. That would be an hour max? What if you can charge your car when you eat in the restaurant and the restaurant bill includes 200 rs for charging? Problem solved right? Highway restaurants invested in good toilets to bring people to their doors. They added parks petrol stations nearby rigjt? Wont they invest 6 lakh to set up a fast charger ? This 6 lakh figure is given by Tata motors itself when I spoke to them Today. We wanted to know if we can set up a fast charger in our apartment which houses 750 homes.

I think the landscape will change pretty faster than we expect. Imagine all car dealers adding fast chargers today and make it 24*7. That's rougly every major city covered? MG is already doing this. All other OEMs will follow suit. It makes more foot falls into the otherwise deserted showrooms. Win win for both parties.

Last edited by irdevanand : 23rd December 2019 at 19:17.
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Old 23rd December 2019, 19:29   #35
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Another perspective on the EV and Lithium battery phenomenon.

https://www.theweek.co.uk/the-week-u...the-metal-race

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-G...evolution.html

Collateral victims of the environment lovers?

Cheers
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Old 23rd December 2019, 19:42   #36
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by gthang View Post
Another perspective on the EV and Lithium battery phenomenon.

https://www.theweek.co.uk/the-week-u...the-metal-race

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-G...evolution.html

Collateral victims of the environment lovers?

Cheers
Do you know how many wars are waged over for Oil? How many lives have been lost for control of oil fields?
Crude oil will not magically transform into Petrol or Diesel, the process is as worse as mining, then there is transportation cost and the cost of oil spills which can endanger a lot of species.
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Old 23rd December 2019, 20:07   #37
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Voted 5+ years. My car is mainly used for factory runs which is a 250 km roundtrip from Mumbai. There's absolutely nothing on the way. Hence, until battery packs get more efficient, I simply can't!
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Old 23rd December 2019, 20:26   #38
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by irdevanand View Post
Hmmm at this price bracket we get cars with 35L capacity. At 12KMPL inside city it will be 420KMS max in a tankfull.
Cheapest EV today is about 12L OTR and gives a range of ~150 kms. Nexon is rumoured to cost around 15L and give a range of 300 kms. My current ride costs a similar amount and gives a range of 700+ kms in the city.

Quote:
Instead of spending 15 mins in a petrol station you can charge the car at your apartment leisurely for 180 rs full charge.
If I cover 100+ kms daily, I will need multiple charges daily. Where do I get the infrastructure to charge it apart from my home for repeat charging (for e.g. my office doesn't have charging network)? Also the time taken to recharge the battery is much higher than refueling the car at a fuel bunk!

Quote:
If it is outstation you are not talking about doing 1000 kms in one go right?
You would stop for food? Say lunch or dinner. That would be an hour max? What if you can charge your car when you eat in the restaurant
How much range will an hour of fast charge give me? I will need to take frequent long breaks if the range is low.

What about turnaround time (like I mentioned about the Tesla users' experience)? A fuel bunk refuels 4-8 vehicles every 5-10 mins. Even if multiple fast chargers are in place, each charger would be blocked for 1-3 hrs. per car causing a long queue! The EV charging stations also need to charge us more if they are going to invest few lakhs of fixed cost.

BTW I usually take a 10-15 min break every 200-300 kms during my long drives.

I am a strong believer in technology and would be happy to proven wrong.

Last edited by ashis89 : 23rd December 2019 at 20:28.
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Old 23rd December 2019, 21:04   #39
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ashis89 View Post
If I cover 100+ kms daily, I will need multiple charges daily.

How much range will an hour of fast charge give me? I will need to take frequent long breaks if the range is low.

BTW I usually take a 10-15 min break every 200-300 kms during my long drives.
:::If i cover 100+ kms daily :::
Upto 300 kms per day you are safe. At an average speed of 18-25kmph in Indian roads (yes that is our situation today chennai is the fastest with 25kmph and mumbai the slowest with 18kmph - article link below ) 300km is around 12 to 16 hours of driving in a day. Are you sure we are going to cross this number in a day? May be if our jobs involve such run about yes. But for majority of us it should be enough 99% of thr time.

:::How much range per hour? :::
240kms for Nexon. (80% of 300kms)

::I usually take 10-15 mins break ::::
We all do that in 20s and 30s. Once the family grows up kids got to eat, parents got to eat and take tablets etc the rush is gone. I did a trivandrum-kims-hospital to Chennai nonstop drive in 10hours. Had a bag full of MnM chocolates and just floored my 3rd gen honda city. That was 8/9 years ago. Next week i am doing the same trip again. This time i am staying in Trichy for night !!!

Just trying to clarify some questions with whatever i have gathered so far about EV especially Nexon. Thanks for giving the opp to share my views bro.

https://m.economictimes.com/news/pol...w/70912200.cms

Last edited by irdevanand : 23rd December 2019 at 21:08.
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Old 23rd December 2019, 23:11   #40
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Unless and until EV infrastructure reaches current petrol/diesel levels I don't see myself going for one as mine is a single car household. I use same car for both city and highways. Heck I just got into ATs 8 months back, so atleast 5 years before I think of an upgrade/change. By then if EV infrastructure develops substantially I will give it a serious thought else it will be a hybrid for me (not the sham from Marutis i.e. smart hybrid), proper ones
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Old 23rd December 2019, 23:50   #41
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

My car usage pattern isn't fixed. So cannot rely on an EV alone to take care of both city and highway usage. I have only a single parking space in my building which makes owning a second car impossible. Also being in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry, have to support Fossil Fuel powered vehicles.
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Old 24th December 2019, 00:04   #42
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Looking at this thread, and other related posts, the general sentiment is to expect the convenience of a gas station with a EV charging station. That may simply never happen in the next decade. Today, what can work is something that is even better than a gas station. One can have a fully charged/fully topped off car at home, early in the morning.

This can only be done when the utility companies embrace this business opportunity, incentivize upgrading of circuits in existing homes, and mandate charge points at new homes/apartments. Solar can be an added option to incentivize this investment The cost of land in the middle of our cities to build large lots where dozens of cars will sit and charge for hours would be exorbitant. Add the cost of electricity, and the economics will never workout to compete with gasoline that we steal from earth for free.

To compete with free oil, we need to get EV to be powered by another free source - the sun. If not home solar, and favorable plans with utility company, I would not have been a fan of EVs. I have not charged my EV at a Supercharger in my city even once in all the time I have had my car. This is only because my car is fully charged on a weekend night when electricity costs the least. Even in California with a lot of EV adoption, using public charger alone will never work. Evs are popular only because of homes having charge points. Pretty much all EV owners I know have home solar. Yes, the initial investment is huge, and this is the reason Govt needs to play an active role in nudging people to make this move - using all the tools they have. Tax breaks & incentives.

Last edited by GutsyGibbon : 24th December 2019 at 00:06.
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Old 24th December 2019, 02:49   #43
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

Really, I have no idea. As I eluded to in some other EV thread, the chances are I will at some point in time in the future.

But as it is, I would like to stick to buying second hand, with lots of mileage on the clock. And it is way to early days for finding anything that makes sense.

Too little choice on the second hand market. And although battery packs seem to hold out fine, I would like to see some more experience with second hand EVs before I jump the gun.

In the meantime, I am enjoying my petrol cars as much as I can.

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Old 24th December 2019, 05:42   #44
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

There is a difference between when I am ready and when I would actually buy it. I am ready today. I will only buy it when the infrastructure is in place to support me doing long drives anywhere in the world without needing to spend multiple hours at a plug point recharging for the next leg of my journey. Just fill up and go. For example, I currently drive Bangalore-Bombay and leave in the morning and get there the same day. Not possible with an electric car today, due to no fast charging infrastructure. And this is on a major highway. Imagine the status in more rural areas
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Old 24th December 2019, 08:51   #45
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Re: When will you be ready to buy an Electric Car?

I have been holding off on buying a new car for past 1.5 years, and i did that so that I could buy an EV, my next purchase within the next two months would either be MG ZS or Nexon EV
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