Ali Pardiwala | 9 Sep 2025 11:01 AM
World EV Day is on September 9, and that should make you think of electric vehicles - particularly whether your next big auto purchase should ditch the fossil fuels and go electric. It might seem tempting for a number of reasons, and the success of modern EVs such as the MG Windsor in India will make you really think about it and whether it's worth jumping onto the bandwagon. While I'm largely convinced about how much fun EVs are to drive and how tech-focused they are, I still have my reservations about the practicality of the concept.
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I'm just going to say it - electric vehicles aren't for everyone. There are practicality matters here, including the process of charging, worrying about battery range, and in the larger scheme of things, whether you're even saving money by buying an EV. I'm going to try and address these issues.
The biggest factor in EV ownership is charging. However, this isn't quite the same as charging your smartphone, which you can do just about any time - even on the go with a power bank - and takes less than an hour in some cases. Electric vehicles have larger batteries and can take hours to charge safely.
There are fast chargers, but manufacturers don't recommend charging EVs rapidly all the time - just once in a while if you really need it done quickly. Usually, you'll want to slowly and safely charge your car at home or overnight, and this will keep the battery healthy over the years. Keep in mind this down-time for your vehicle; it's fine when you're at home, but can be a major inconvenience when you're out on a long road trip that goes beyond your vehicle's range.
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This brings me to the next big factor: range. All vehicles can go as far as their range dictates, be it petrol or electric. EV battery capacities dictate the range, and some EVs can do even 600km per charge practically, although most are in the range of around 300km per charge. You'll want to ensure you're at a charging point - preferably your own or one near your home or work place - when the battery is low.
An EV is therefore most practical for city or local running, where you know you'll be back to home base soon enough. A daily run of 100-150km is fine for most EV cars, so it works for those with a long daily commute.
This is a big one, and it's got a lot to it beyond the cost of the car itself. EVs are still priced at a premium over equivalent petrol and diesel cars, although they do benefit from lower GST rates in India. Additionally, EVs may not fetch as high a resale value as a petrol or diesel vehicle, due to battery degradation over time and the fact that the battery is the most expensive component of the car itself. In comparison, petrol and diesel cars will still fetch a decent price after a few years, since fuel engines are designed to work efficiently and reliably over long periods of time.
As such, you'll want to ensure you're covering the higher ownership cost of the EV with more affordable running costs. Charging is still considerably cheaper than petrol and diesel, so you'll be saving a fair chunk of money every time you recharge your EV instead of filling up the tank of your petrol vehicle.
The MG Windsor EV typically costs around Rs. 800 to fully charge if you're using a public charger, or even less if you have your own private charging solution at home. In some cases, such as if you have solar panels at home, you might not be paying anything to charge your car, and you get about 250-300km of running.
Compare this to the cost of a full tank of petrol in an equivalent car, which will cost around Rs. 4000 or more (depending on the car). You're therefore saving money here, but the key to unlocking value is saving enough to justify the cost of the car itself.
For this, you need heavy operation for the finances to make sense. If you tend to drive your car for around 2000-2500km per month, you'll see these savings quickly with an EV. If your running is considerably less than this, you're better off with a petrol or diesel car, which wil even fetch you a decent resale price after a few years of use, and save you money on the whole.
This is where I think we really need to focus - the electric scooter and bike. The cost differences here aren't a lot higher than that of petrol-powered two-wheelers, so you won't end up paying too much of a premium for a decent EV scooter. The cost of running is similarly value-driven since electricity is cheaper than petrol, and you'll see the savings stack up much quicker.
Furthermore, the lower cost of the two-wheeler also means that the impact of writing-off an electric scooter at scrap value isn't much different from resale value of a petrol-powered scooter. Financially, it's easier to save in the long run with an EV scooter, especially if you have reasonably heavy daily running of around 50-60km.
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Electric two-wheelers also tend to mitigate the issue of range, since you're likely to only need a scooter or bike for city commuting or local running. EV scooters typically have a range of 100-120km per charge, which is more than enough for most purposes that you'd need a two-wheeler for. You don't see too many people going on cross-country road trips on their scooters, after all.
TLDR; if you have heavy running, yes. You'll enjoy the benefits of a tech-focused car, the comfort of driving an electric vehicle, and the typical power and performance that comes with it. Over time and with regular use, you'll also see the savings stack up, making this a cost effective option in the long run.
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Electric two-wheelers such as city commuter scooters make the most sense, in my opinion. The low cost of ownership, the lower life cycle, the quick savings, and the fact that typical scooter use usually fits in the charge range makes this a logical option. Seriously consider buying an electric scooter the next time you need to replace your two-wheeler.
However, if you need a car for occasional use in the city or for short commutes, you're better off with a small city-friendly petrol car. Alternatively, if you spend a lot of time on the highway covering long distances, a spacious diesel car might be best for you. EVs such as the MG Windsor make a lot of sense today, but they still aren't necessarily for everyone.