Man With 1.4 Crore BMW Electric Car Shows The Real Challenges Of Owning An EV In India
Electric cars are becoming increasingly popular in India. We see many manufacturers actively launching EVs in various segments and price ranges, and most of them find ample takers as well. The luxury EV segment, in particular, has great potential. There are, however, struggles and hurdles in EV ownership. An X (formerly Twitter) user named Kushan Mitra recently shared an experience he had to go through while living with a BMW iX electric SUV, that clearly demonstrates some of these challenges.
Kushan had to travel to Gurugram for a drive, as he says in the X post. He embarked on the journey with the BMW iX xDrive 50 electric SUV which wasn’t charged to full, due to a scheduled power outage at his place. He figured out that there was a Hyundai 150 kW DC fast charger en route, near Golf Course Extension road, operated by Statiq India, which he could use for a quick top-up. This is actually the fastest operational charger in NCR. Several 240 kW chargers are currently being set up here, but not yet functional.
The reason Kushan chose the Hyundai charger was primarily its high charging speed. He plugged the car in and waited for it to get charged. However, to his disappointment, he found out that the actual charging speed was much lower. The charging started at 73 kW and finished at 80 kW speed. The entire process took over half an hour.
Kushan further says that the charge costed him a total of Rs 1179. This means Rs 28.7 per unit. He says this is more than three times the cost of home charging. The slower 30 kW charger can be used at Rs 23/ unit, but will take a lot more time to refill.
Considering the cost of 1179 rupees and an efficiency of 4.5km/kWh for the iX, the cost per km driven is around Rs 6.38. A diesel-powered BMW X5 30d offers an average fuel efficiency of 10 kmpl in the city. This means the average running cost would be around ₹8.7/km in Delhi.
Comparing the two, there is a notable difference of over 2 rupees per km. But the advantage of owning the X5 would be the top-up speed. Refuelling can be done in just two minutes, instead of having to wait half an hour at the charging station with the iX for a 35% top up in charge- says Kushan. This in fact, is a hard reality for all EV users.
EV Ownership: The Cost Game Is Real!
To start with, EVs are best had with home charging. Plugging them in at home would make sense for most people. Leaving them on the charger overnight would save us time and anticipation! ( If you know you know!). However, situations like scheduled or unprecedented power outtages could unsettle the charging schedule and could potentially affect their travel plans as well. Such outtages continue to happen in most places, despite the tall claims of many, of not having them anymore.
Reliance on DC fast chargers (public chargers) can be unhealthy for multiple reasons, in many cases. First, consistent reliance on DC chargers could have a negative impact on battery health. Next, most of these chargers will be located at places with considerable distances in between. Thus draining the battery is not a good idea any day, if you are to rely on public chargers. Then comes the cost factor.
Public chargers often charge users a high amount for the ‘fast’ charging experience, despite many providing much slower speeds than claims. In some places, these could as much as the running cost of a petrol or diesel vehicle- which would then nullify the cost/price advantage. On top of all these is the time we have to ‘waste’ at the charging station.