[KrisTvpm]

Currently use wife's Nano as the 2nd/beater car, when I've to venture out strictly alone - for which I'd have otherwise used my 2wheeler.

If by the time I'd need to replace the Nano, a small EV that satisfies basic criteria - i.e.

• sufficient battery range to do daily chores within city : atleast 150~200km,

• small footprint as Nano/E2O

• can carry 2persons + some luggage (good to have: 4seats)

launches, I'd go for it happily! Not a fan of "license-not-needed" models, though.

[Pkumarblore]

Not sure about the tiny e-cars making their way into India, but I wish they did.
I recently attempted my first 2 way ride with Yulu in Bangalore, and boy I loved the experience. I have decided to make it my commute from point A to B if there's no heavy luggage involved. Its clean, cheap, no hassles of ownership and not under the purview of RTO. I wish we get such tiny e-cars too. I visualize something like the Bajaj Qute/Nano in electric avtaar.

[Arjun Bharadwaj]

Slightly off topic but a good starting point to introduce these in India - "Reuse" the grandfathered M800s, Nanos etc. Light cars that cant be run anymore due to emissions/issues with engine/transmission etc - convert them to electric instead of scrapping them. Such cars at scrap level should cost dirt cheap, even with an electric setup they should cost maybe as much as a new nano(when it was selling).

[srishiva]

I use my Astar automatic to travel within 4 kms if needed. A electric car in that size/price range would be great. Charging every day or couple of days is not an issue.
I dont own a 2 wheeler and would like a car anyday

[Zinda]

I do not see a problem with tiny electric cars - but creating ugly contraptions on the name of innovation will just not make the cut! Smart, Nano, Maruti 800 should inspire the designers. Infact E2O also dosen't looks bad.
I believe creating reusable platforms and then leveraging it to create
1. tiny zippy 2 seater with some luggage space
2. 4 seater for city purpose/useful for carpooling too
3. barebones carrier/delivery vehicle which looks different than 1 and 2

But all 4 wheels pls! This should help reduce design costs while developing multiple models and pricing them well. Half hearted approaches, lesser than 150 kms range and pricing above 6-7 L will again not make the cut.

[H Karter]

Why isn't anybody talking about good and bad battery packs?
Ok, now that sounds weird in today's context!

But the point is, that most people, call them non-enthusiasts, often decide on buying a car based on quality of its heart.

Me: Harrier
Layman: Kaunsa Engine hai? (Which engine?)
Me: Multijet Fiat ka.
Layman: Fir theek hai. (Then Ok)

The same follows for Electric cars as well. Nexon EV has achieved considerable success based on the rigorous testing shown by Tata in the marketing campaign. Based on the campaign it has got many buyers, but some of them are complaining as well for not getting the assured range. Even Hemank aka Bhpian stuntfreak, our own EV expert, had commented on the no so good battery pack of Nexon EV.
My point is after overcoming all such trials e.g. factory testing, real world buyer feedback, word of mouth publicity; if the heart of a car, the battery pack in this case emerges out unscathed, it is bound to stay, no matter what form factor it is moulded in.

I think, the Nano just failed because of its engine placement and its NVH levels. Generally people in rural area talked about it as an Autorickshaw with fourth wheel and car body slapped on. The exhaust sound made the matters even worse. Anybody remembers Celerio 2 cylinder Diesel?

It hurts me a lot when I think why hadn't Tata approached an international two wheeler manufacturer for a refined motorcycle engine for the Nano which was out of production, just to keep the costs down. The same was done for Tata Winger and now for Harrier.
That was a little off topic.

Coming to electric small cars as many have said its a good second car. The Wuling Mini at 3 lakhs is a good alternative to College students who demand REs for commuting.
Even Toyota iRoad two seater (one seat behind the other) has got a future here if it comes with right price, a proven battery pack and a fourth wheel.

[landcruiser123]

Last 50 years has seen a boom in population, especially in cities. With this population boom has come a fair share of problems and an extreme strain on limited resources. If used on controlled roads to complement public transit, small cars be a great tool in the densely populated nations (of Asia).

I don't see how small cars are going to be popular in freedom-loving America.

[wheelguy]

Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV has overtaken Tesla's Model 3 as the top-selling electric vehicle in the world in the month of January and February. The Hong Guang Mini EV sells in China only for 28,800 yuan (nearly $4,500).

BEIJING: Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV has overtaken Tesla's Model 3 as the top-selling electric vehicle in the world in the month of January and February.

According to The Verge, more than 36,000 of the tiny cars sold in January compared to nearly 21,500 Model 3s, and the Hong Guang sold just more than 20,000 units in February compared to just under 13,700 Tesla 3s.

The Hong Guang Mini EV sells in China only for 28,800 yuan (nearly $4,500).

According to the report, the car claims to get 170 kilometres (nearly 106 miles) per charge and could reach a top speed of 100 kilometres per hour or 62 miles per hour (no drag racing in this thing).

Its specifications include a wheelbase of 76.4 inches and it is just under 115 inches long, 59 inches wide and stands nearly 64 inches tall. Its total weight is nearly 1,466 pounds, the report said.

The diminutive vehicle is made under a joint partnership between China's state-owned SAIC Motor, Wuling Motors, and US carmaker General Motors and is locally referred to simply as Wuling.

The 2021 base model of Tesla's Model 3 EV on the other hand gets more than 250 miles per charge and its sticker price starts at just under $40,000.

It has a wheelbase of 113 inches, is 185 inches long, 73 inches wide and 57 inches tall. The base Model 3 weighs nearly 3,500 pounds.

Source

[Sran]

This is what we need for urban commute under 3 lakhs. This along with electric slow moving tram will solve all the ugly city traffic. Imagine the clutter free roads without "generator as an engine" piaggio or ape autos.

[TrackDay]

Originally Posted by Sran

. Imagine the clutter free roads without "generator as an engine" piaggio or ape autos.

"Generator as an engine" That is so true. Those are notoriously loud and do create a lot of disturbance. Imagine catching one after a train journey and reaching home dead in the night. The whole neighborhood will be awoken by the noise those things create. Better case to catch an EV auto these days !

Mini EVs are the future, no doubt. Especially since they can be easily adopted for city usage. I guess once they have the feedback and R&D based on consumer experience of the Nexon, Tata must give us a small EV hatchback, preferably the Tiago.

Some interior pics of the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV

[learning_cars]

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Mini EVs are the future, no doubt. Especially since they can be easily adopted for city usage. I guess once they have the feedback and R&D based on consumer experience of the Nexon, Tata must give us a small EV hatchback, preferably the Tiago.

Absolutely right you were. We already have a Tiago EV. Once the initial euphoria created by the price and value goes away, we might have a real world test case for a small EV with "actual" sales on the road for people to see and discuss.

I was just reading about the slew of cars that have come on the back of Wuling Mini EVs sucess and now a Wuling Air EV for export(Indonesia being the first I think) markets have been developed. Crowded cities like Shanghai love them and I don't think cities like Bengaluru are any different in how dense they are.

I do want to see something like this on Indian roads (Reva was too early for its own good), where 7 seater Fortuners / XUVs are used only to carry a single person to and from work, but the marketing and the product placement will be the key. Indians will always view a 4 wheeler as a status symbol and any manufacturer that fails to market their product as aspirational will be crushed.

[Nikhil Beke]

Just read this (factually correct) comment, only to realise my apprehensions to be realistic regards a micro-EV.

Originally Posted by DicKy

Call me greedy, but a starting price of 9.99 lakhs would be a killer move (and swipe off what is left of the Comet sales).

Punch.ev may be a fabulous car (and kudos to Tata for putting together a drool-worthy package, prices not withstanding), but it would have this unforseen, unintended consequence of killing this segment of micro- cars (again, after Nano and Reva).
Most of the new car buyers (myself guilty of this as well) while test-driving a car grossly overestimate the desired size(most of the commutes have just the driver, boot practically unused), and underestimate the problems that accompany a large(er) car (being caught up in traffic congestions, difficulty in finding a parking spot). It takes a few years to realise that, at least in cities, the smaller footprint is often an asset worth paying a premium for. While the problems with Tata Nano (lack of refinement, wrong marketing, niggles, and frankly the design well ahead of its years) kept customers away from it, uncertainties with Chinese origin of MG, and a close competition from Tiago/Punch EVs might kill this segment again- when we need it the most! (Tata are very capable of launching Nano.ev, but my guess is no one there would want to come anywhere near that nameplate, ever. While Mahindra is busy building mamooth EVs with egregious power/torque figures and has no interest in reviving Reva.)
Both automakers and customers need to mature to see the value in smaller EVs, it seems.
Make (few) EVs Small again!
It would be great to have insights of members here:
A. What makes these micro-EVs the hottest-selling cars in China, and yet such an abysmal failure in India? Any cultural soft points favourable in China? Govt policies that help matters more?(why don't we have such policies, then? We accepted Maruti 800 enthusiastically, and our then government practically kichstarted the enterprise.)
B. The EV trend seems really positive with two wheelers/City commuters- what are they doing right, in contrast?

[Nikhil Beke]

Originally Posted by Nikhil Beke

uncertainties with Chinese origin of MG, and a close competition from Tiago/Punch EVs might kill this segment again- when we need it the most!

Although, if this is launched in India, MG would be hitting it out of the park. If looks could kill... https://www.cartoq.com/mg-motor-reve...c-suv-concept/

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by Nikhil Beke

Just read this (factually correct) comment, only to realise my apprehensions to be realistic regards a micro-EV.....but it would have this unforseen, unintended consequence of killing this segment of micro- cars (again, after Nano and Reva).

Don't get me wrong. The only reason for my animosity towards the Comet is my jingoistic views. If it had any other non-Chinese badge I would be batting for the Comet.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...ml#post5538268 (MG Comet EV Review)

Heck, am waiting for the past four years to see when Mahindra launches the Atom!!!

Originally Posted by Nikhil Beke

A. What makes these micro-EVs the hottest-selling cars in China, and yet such an abysmal failure in India? Any cultural soft points favourable in China? Govt policies that help matters more?(why don't we have such policies, then? We accepted Maruti 800 enthusiastically, and our then government practically kichstarted the enterprise.)
B. The EV trend seems really positive with two wheelers/City commuters- what are they doing right, in contrast?

For most Indians, if it is not a conventional car, then it has to be a two wheeler. The same problem for the failure of the Nano. We already have the sub 4m rule and also classification for quadricycles. It is the manufacturers and customers who have to act. Bajaj already has the RE60 in hand, just make it into an electric one. Ofcourse, we have the likes of the PMV Eas-E and the upcoming Gensol EV, but have to see how they do in the real world or if they enter production at all.

Main stumbling block is the pricing. When even three wheeler autorickshaws cost 3+ lakhs, can't expect much. But IMO prices shouldn't cross that of a brand new Alto LXi.

[Nikhil Beke]

Originally Posted by DicKy

Main stumbling block is the pricing. When even three wheeler autorickshaws cost 3+ lakhs, can't expect much. But IMO prices shouldn't cross that of a brand new Alto LXi.

No hard feelings at all- what you said is actually very realistic (may I say prophetic )
The price part is precisely where I expect the customers to mature more, over a period of time. I am stumbling across people who correctly are ready to shell out a couple of extra lakhs, if the car offered them a reprieve from parking troubles and helps them get out of a traffic congestion quickly. The mindset however is shared by only a niche crowd sadly (may I say people with some extra dough , and then they would be caught driving an ugly-looking contraption that is yet highly utilitarian), the rest of the populace still values real-estate-per-Rupee ratio more. The matters are not helped by the feature list in a small car- this woefully reminds me of my search for a small sized phone- all the smaller phones (barring iPhone SE) were diminutive in the specs-features front as well- as if a small phone is good only for a first time buyer! Tata Tiago made a smart effort by offering some more bling and material comforts over ICE tiago to satisfy the customer feel-good factor at that price point. But where Comet stood out was a sweet spot where the buyer could enjoy all the benefit of a small car without compromising on the features etc. Hopefully this doesn't get killed before we really learn to understand our needs.