WHICH CAR COMPANIES PRODUCE ELECTRIC CARS?

If you want to buy an electric car in India, the options available are very limited and the price you need to pay for one is also exorbitant. It is quite visible that this is not an accurate time for purchasing an electric car in India. Come 2030, things might be different and we may see a number of electric cars plying on Indian roads. At present, what all options do you have? Let us sum it up below:

• Mahindra Electric: Mahindra has long been into the EV space and is the most active electric car maker in India. Not surprisingly, it is the largest electric car brand in India. Currently, Mahindra offers two cars: e Verito, a sedan and e2o plus, a hatchback. Other than these, Mahindra Electric also manufactures a range of low maintenance, lithium-ion battery-powered three-wheelers, known by the name Treo, India’s first all-electric passenger and cargo van, eSupro and an electric-powered rickshaw, eAlfa Mini. The e-version of KUV100 is in works.

• Tata Motors: Tata Motors is the other Indian brand that manufactures electric cars though it's limited to just one electric car, Tigor EV. Tata also has a range of Electric buses. The company regularly gets the order to supply electric buses to various state transport undertakings (STUs). Tata has plans to launch the Tigor EV with 200 Km range as well as aims to set up 300 fast chargers. The car is likely to be showcased at the 2020 Delhi Auto Expo. The current Tigor EV is being sold to various government agencies and fleet owners. Tata is rigorously working on increasing its EV footprint.

• Hyundai: The Hyundai Kona recently made news when it launched the Kona EV in India. The Korean brand has made clear its intentions of introducing clean mobility in India. It’s the first all-electric SUV in India. Loaded with power, thrilling driving experience, high acceleration over long distances, advanced and innovative technology and peace of mind ownership package, it is a well-packaged product. Its driving range of 452 km is unmatched by any electric car maker in India. With a low running cost (approx. 1/5th of IC Engine), it looks an attractive package but with a starting price of ₹24 Lakhs, it certainly looks very pricey for its price. Still, the car is good enough for creating hype before the EVs actually flow into the market. 

It’s a long way to go before we actually see manufacturers launching electric cars one after the another. Currently, many manufacturers are into the testing phase of their EVs and looking at ways to maximise the range and performance. Remember Tesla has already set the bar in international markets.

WHAT ARE SOME ADVANCES IN CARS AND AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY?

The concept of connected cars is the latest advancement in the automotive industry in India. Connected car is simply a car with internet access which is utilised to perform various operations with minimal effort of the drive to ensure that the rider enjoys a safe and comfortable journey. Hyundai launched the Venue with Blue Link Technology, with 33 connected car features. It has become a trend for new manufacturers to have at least one such car in their portfolio. The new entrants in the Indian shores: MG Hector and Kia Seltos, too are connected cars.  In connected cars, a touchscreen display acts as an interface between the driver and the Connected Car Technology. MG Hector has taken everyone by storm by introducing 50+ connected car features in the modern SUV. In fact, it is termed as ‘India’s first internet car’. The i-SMART technology is an integrated service that combines hardware, software, connectivity, services and applications has been built by a number of popular names such as Microsoft, Cognizant, Gaana, Airtel, Panasonic, Cisco, Adobe, AccuWeather, SAP etc. This ensures that the user gets an experience like never before. The main highlights of this user interactive system include information at a glance, M2M Embedded SIM, Over-the-air updates, voice assistant, E-Call, vehicle status information, remote vehicle control, find my car, Geofence, Navigation and smart drive information. The names might differ but all the connected cars have more or less the same features. The Kia Seltos is not far behind, with its UVO = Your Voice technology. Is it a good development in the automotive industry? The question might be a conflict of interest for some, but the magnitude of numerous convenient features offered by a connection is truly immense. The difficulty lies in ensuring that vital customer data remains safe from cyber attacks and the security of the driver should remain the topmost priority.

WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT OF A BS6 IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY?

Of late, a lot of gossips has been going on in relation to the upcoming BS6 emission norms. The Supreme Court has made it clear that only BS6 compliant cars would be allowed to sell and register from April 2020 onwards. The deadline is fast approaching and this is one of the major reasons for the present automobile slowdown in India. A lot of rumours are being circulated, which are creating confusion in the minds of car owners as well as new car buyers. Let’s try to clear this confusion and understand the potential impacts of BS6 in the automotive industry:

• For vehicle manufacturers, it means a higher investment. The existing BS4 compliant engines will need to be upgraded to make them BS6 compliant while the new ones will require an all new development cost. 

• Fewer new car launches will be seen as the manufacturers will concentrate on upgrading all their model line-up to BS6 rather than introducing fresh models. Even if it is planned to bring a new car altogether, it will most likely be BS6 compliant.

• As the costs will rise due to newer BS6 compliant fuel and engine, the buyers will have to bear the brunt by paying out more for the new cars and fuel prices.

• Reduction in emission is the main reason why we are moving to BS6 from BS4. The BS6 will obviously cleaner with lower CO, PM, NOX & Sulphur levels than the outgoing counterparts.

• Better engine performance, smoother ride and improved fuel efficiency as a result of cleaner fuel.

• Reduction in sales of diesel vehicles: Diesel powered cars are slowing going away from most manufacturers line-up as the sales are low and upgrading the diesel engine is much costlier than a petrol engine. Why invest time and resources for something that does not have much demand?

• Not just the emissions, even safety will be improved. ABS and Dual Airbags would be standard across all the variants of each and every car from 2020.

•  Many poor selling cars will be discontinued as it will not be economical and feasible to upgrade them to meet the upcoming emissions and safety norms.

• The resale value of BS4 cars might dip in the post BS6 era as the customers will prefer a modern second-hand car rather than a car running on an outdated and more polluting engine (sort of!). But the reality is that BS4 cars will run perfectly fine on BS6 fuel.

• Unsold stock of BS4 cars might remain at the factory and dealerships. Further, these might be sold at bargain prices. 

Now then, it is believed that the above list summarises the prominent effects of BS6 and clear any confusion you had related to it.