It is a no-brainer that electric vehicles have clear benefits as they are good for the environment, have lower lifetime running costs, are tech-savvy, and save you money in the long run.
But, issues such as a lack of fast-charging stations and limited battery size can stop you from out-of-town excursions.
Delhi’s Anjnay and Aakash share tips on EV road-tripping in India based on their experiences.
Plan your charging routes and stops: One of the first things Anjnay did during his road trip from Delhi to Spiti Valley was to enquire about charging facilities in hotels.
Knowing that restaurants have slow charging, their rest stops were planned in a way that gave them time to eat, rest or sleep while the car was charging.
An electrical engineer by profession, Aakash invented an earthing kit — an iron rod covered by a copper wire that is inserted into the ground.
He claims that the kit helps protect against unwarranted spikes of electricity and prevent damage to the vehicle. He has driven about 33,000 km and feels his shift to EVs has been worthwhile.
“You can make your road trip as smooth and enjoyable as a petrol or diesel vehicle provided you have a concrete plan on charging infrastructure,” he says.
Your driving style matters: For both his trips from Delhi to Spiti, Anjnay identified routes that were downhill for regenerative braking.
‘Stop-pedal-accelerator’ became my motto. Almost 40% of that route was downhill, so we were able to regenerate 30% charge for our Spiti trip,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Aakash mentions that for long distances, one should refrain from changing speeds, over-accelerating, and sudden braking, as the battery can degenerate faster.