Propulsion at a Crossroads
Every year we say the same thing about how the year has flown by and this year is no different as I write my last editorial of 2024. We are at the cusp of moving away from fossil fuel cars to alternative sources of energy and it is still very uncertain as to what will power our cars in the future.
A lot of people are betting on electric cars but, at the same time, a survey was conducted in the United States, one of the biggest car and electric vehicle (EV) markets in the world, and it showed that 47 per cent of the existing electric car owners want to switch back to internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. This is not good news for manufacturers betting big on electric cars. No wonder some of them are backtracking on their commitment about going totally EV in the near future.
In the last one month I drove down to Goa from Pune twice in two different cars. The first drive was in the new Audi Q8. The drive itself was extremely comfortable and effortless, but I had to be very careful on the narrow internal roads of Goa. The second drive was also in an Audi, but this time it was the Q3. Although the Q3 was not as luxurious as the Q8, it was comfortable and the best part was that the small car was easy to manoeuvre on the narrow roads and great fun going up and down the mountain sections on the single-lane highway. The driving time from Pune to Goa and back was around six-and-a-half hours each way in both these cars. The best time to start your journey is early in the morning before the local traffic starts.
EDITOR – ASPI BHATHENA
