Benefits of electric vehicles
Some benefits of electric vehicles include:
No use of fuel
Fuel prices have been rising and do not appear to be going down any time soon. With an electric vehicle, you may stop buying petrol or diesel to refuel your vehicle, thus saving money
Environment-friendly
Air quality remains unaffected and air pollution is reduced by electric cars. These vehicles generate less noise pollution as well.
Regenerative braking
Most electric vehicles come equipped with this technology. In this, every time the vehicle applies a brake, the electric generator of the vehicle generates electricity and recharges the battery.
Safe
In the event of an accident, electric cars are less likely to sustain significant damage. This can be ascribed to their lightweight design.
Sustainable
Electric vehicles are the future of the automobile industry. Getting used to electric vehicles is advantageous compared to using traditional fuel-run vehicles.
Drawbacks of electric vehicles
Covers less distance
The mileage offered by electric vehicles is relatively lower than that of those cars that run on petrol or diesel.
Expensive
This is one of the most evident concerns with electric vehicles that are available in the market today. All of them are high in cost.
Lack of infrastructure
Sustainable and smooth use of electric vehicles requires significant and expansive infrastructure, in the sense, that roads should have ample recharge stations. Such infrastructural backup is not yet available in India.
Long recharge time
Electric vehicles need some prep time and in some cases, they can take significant time to get fully recharged.
How are hybrid vehicles different from electric vehicles?
Here are some major differences between hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles:
Features |
Hybrid Cars |
Electric Cars |
Source of power |
Electricity as well as Petrol and Diesel |
DC Electricity using Battery Pack |
Engine type |
Electric Motor and Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) |
Electric Motor |
Efficiency of fuel |
Dependent on ICE and Battery Range |
Dependent Lon Battery Range |
Level of emissions |
Higher than Electric Cars |
Lower than ICE cars and hybrid cars |
Charging requirement |
Not needed |
Needed |
Price |
Similar to usual ICE cars |
Higher than both ICE vehicles and hybrid vehicles |
What is the cost of converting a petrol car into an electric car in India?
While there is no fixed cost chart for the conversion of petrol cars to electric cars in India, retrofitting electric cores can be an expensive process. The exact cost of petrol to electric car conversion varies from kit to kit. Several competitive electric vehicle kit manufacturers and retailers offer retrofittable electric car conversion kits and electric engine cores. On average, these electric car conversion kits cost between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.
No matter the type of car you have, don’t forget to secure yourself, your vehicle & your finances with adequate car insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Converting Your Petrol and Diesel Car into an Electric Vehicle
Is it possible to convert a petrol or diesel car into an electric car?
Yes, using retrofitting and an electric car conversion kit, a petrol or diesel car can be converted into an electric car.
Is changing car engines in India illegal?
To change car engines in India, you will first have to take permission for the same from your RTO. If the RTO approves, only then you can make the changes. Any other self-induced initiative to change car engines will be deemed illegal.
What is retrofitting?
Retrofitting is the process of converting your petrol or diesel-run car into an electric vehicle using an electric engine core and an electric car conversion kit. This involves changing or altering the original engine with a battery-operated engine and making other changes that are necessary to convert a petrol car to an electric one.
What is the average distance that can be covered by an electric car on one charge?
In general, an electric vehicle can cover a distance of 80 kilometres to 160 kilometres on one charge. High-end electric vehicles, like the one, manufactured by Tesla can run up to 320 kilometres on one charge.
How much does it cost to convert a petrol car into an electric car?
A fuel-run petrol or diesel car can be converted into an electric car by the means of retrofitting. On average, it costs between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.
How long does an EV take to get fully charged?
There is no standard answer to this query as the charging time for each vehicle will differ from company to company and model to model. Check the user manual of the vehicle or contact the vehicle dealer to know the answer.
How are electric vehicles better for the environment?
Unlike Internal Combustion Engine cars, electric vehicles do not run on fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel. The burning of these fuels causes major carbon emissions. Since electric vehicles run on electric motors and battery-source power, the carbon emissions stand significantly checked. Thus, electric vehicles help in restricting environmental pollution. Also, they produce less sound than the ICE car and help in checking noise pollution as well.