The EV market in India is also not behind any of the neighboring countries. The only problem is the limited availability of different EV models as well as charging stations.
But you can beat the limits with different options available to you. The pace with EV charging stations is slow but multiple options are available for you to charge your EVs.
- With a type 1 AC charger, the EV can be charged at home at 3 kWh. The cost will be less as per the home tariff and you can check the time with the lowest tariff but it will be slow for your EV.
- Type 2 or wall box charger can be installed at home by the car companies and it is much faster.
- Wallbox charge can be used at your office.
- By public charging station networks like TaTa, EESL ( Energy efficiency Services ltd.), BOLT, Indian Oil Corp, EVRE, and Kazam. They are cheaper and faster.
On a single charge, with a small battery capacity, an EV can provide a range of 220 – 280 km whereas the bigger batteries provide 400 km. (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP))
With a normal charger, and depending on the battery capacity, within 8 to 9 hours, 80% battery capacity is possible. With rapid chargers, 30 to 40 minutes.
Now the real thing, how much EV charging will cost? In TATA NEXON EV max, 544 km of distance has been covered in only Rs. 700-800. If you are driving a petrol car, you can just imagine.
The battery with 20 to 45 kWh will cost Rs.8 to Rs.10 at the home tariff. As per timesofindia, 241 charging stations are going to be installed, a project worth Rs.1000 crore. On a full charge, 120-130 km can be covered.
The rate of the EV charging in Kolkata is Rs.8.45/unit of power needed to recharge an EV (+ service charge of 15%). The energy cost is less than Rs 2/km.
“Power minister Shobhandeb Chattopadhay mandated that the city must have one charging station in every 3 square and one at every 25 kilometers on state and national highways. This infrastructure will enable EV motorists to roam around without having the tension of running out of charge.”
The cost of charging an EV in Delhi is Rs. 4-4.5 kWh, as compared to the domestic rate varying from Rs3 to Rs.8 per unit. It means around Rs 80-202 at the charging station and Rs 160-450 at home.
In Mumbai, the cost of EV charging is Rs 15 per unit at charging stations, and finally, it will cost you Rs.300-675.
At present, most EV battery is a warranty of 8 years or 1.6 lakh km. Also, apps such as Kazam, EV plugs, Tata Power EZ charge, Battre Zeon, or even website such as TATA Motors and Charge-List helps you to locate an EV charging station.
In my opinion, with the current debate on overheating issues, long-range, a problem with EV charging stations, or the availability of the battery raw material. An experience with EV driving at a lost cost or even within the city with urban life can help you to cross the hurdles.