The arena for electric cars India has could do with some more acclaimed names. Here are some global bestsellers and new cars that we could use in India.
We’re heading to an electric future, that is undeniable. However, we need to ensure that our electricity is produced in the most environment-friendly way possible – by harnessing solar power, wind as well as hydro-electricity – and not just burn all the coal available in thermal plants; an act which almost negates any benefit of electric cars India uses in the first place. The big picture must be considered. One cannot clean up on area and destroy another. There has to be a balance and we need to find a way to do that soon.
That said, fossil fuels are no longer the preferred flavour of the day. People are waking up to the benefits of using electric cars as opposed to fossil-fuelled ones that have thus far dictated convention. We’re heading to a new normal and many people have discovered that personal space is, in fact, a thing in the real world that we could use and have often been deprived of. One good way to get that personal space and feel good about it too is in a compact electric car. And there are quite a few electric cars India could use.
Renault City K-ZE
The most compact and, indeed, the most affordable one of the list is the City K-ZE. Essentially an electric Kwid, the ‘City’ name will most certainly be dropped, for obvious reasons, and an e-Kwid could be in the offing. The 3.7-metre long compact hatchback packs a 26.8-kWh battery pack for a range of up to 240 km. The 33-kW electric motor brings a sufficient 45 hp and 120 Nm. It also has an air quality system that filters PM2.5 among other harmful pollutants. We may safely expect a price tag of less than Rs 9.5 lakh for this one making it probably the most affordable of electric cars India gets. It takes 50 minutes using fast charging for and 80 per cent charge, and, even with just normal slow charge, just four hours for a full charge; advantages of a compact battery pack.
Renault ZOE
Another Renault. Renault seem to have mastered the art of creating compact electric vehicles; the Twizy is probably their star but its quirky take on motoring may not suit everyone’s taste. Thus, we look at the ZOE. The new ZOE, as we’ve seen earlier, is now available in its third generation and offers a selection of two output levels, both loaded with a 52-kWh battery pack and capable of travelling for up to 400 km on a charge. The first is the R110 with a 80-kW motor capable of 109 hp and 225 Nm, while the R135 model, in sportier GT Line trim, has a more powerful 100-kW motor for a peak 136 hp. Both would do well as electric cars India could use every day.
Volkswagen e-Up!
Yes, Volkswagen needed to move on from the whole diesel debacle. While their plug-in hybrids and diesel offerings still do very well overseas, their range of electric cars India would find useful is extensive. The e-Golf may end up being too expensive. An e-Polo is a possibility should they make one. But our best bet is the e-Up! with the exclamation mark as a part of its name; just leave there auto-correct! The new VW e-Up! then has a larger 36.8-kWh battery with a usable energy, they say, of 32.3 kWh. Fair enough. It packs a 61-kW e-motor good for 83 hp and 212 Nm. It will do 130 km/h and travel up to 260 km on a single charge. It isn’t the most affordable, but it sure is capable.
Kia e-Soul
The e-Soul didn’t just win the World Urban Car of the Year for nothing. It packs all the essentials and a whole lot of kit that puts it high up on the list of electric cars India could use every day in the real world. It’s uses the powertrain from the Hyundai Kona Electric we’ve already driven, and is available overseas with a choice of 39.2-kWh or 64-kWh battery packs. The former has a 100-kW motor, for 136 hp and 395 Nm and a range of up to 276 km. The latter, long-range version also get a more powerful 150-kW motor with 204 hp and 395 Nm and a range of up to 452 km. A selection of recuperation modes are available, making single-pedal operation possible. The Kia e-Soul also packs a lot of connectivity solutions including Kia’s UVO Connect smart telematics suite.
Nissan Leaf e+
Probably the smartest looking and most advanced of the lot, Nissan have been turning over a new Leaf ever so often and the latest one sure turns heads with its equipment and capabilities, if not its modern styling. The new Leaf e+ takes things further with more style and convenience now backed by a larger 62-kWh battery pack adding 40 per cent more range to what its predecessor could manage – up to 363 km on a single charge. Then there’s the potent 160-kW motor with a peak 218 hp and 340 Nm – comparable to a V6 petrol engine – that allows for smoother and more effortless passing acceleration whenever needed. Nissan’s Intelligent Driving ProPILOT Assist, an in-lane semi-autonomous driving technology, is also available. More than 3.8 lakh Leafs – or should I say ”Leaves”? – have been sold since it first arrived in 2010. Another reason why it should be one of the next electric cars India gets soon.
Also read: Renault ZOE Third-generation Model Introduced
Also read: Hyundai Kona Electric Road Test Review
Also read: Kia e-Soul Wins World Urban Car of the Year Award
