8 common myths about EVs busted

They are fast becoming a mainstream choice but some common misconceptions remain

Electric vehicles are fast becoming the preferred choice among consumers, both private users and commercial fleets like cabs and last mile delivery fleets. Backed by solid government support through central and state level policies and schemes, and the automotive industry itself investing heavily in going electric, the world’s fourth largest automotive market is actively transitioning to electric.

While awareness around the environmental and cost benefits of electric vehicles is growing, there are still some common myths or misconceptions about vehicle range, battery technology and charging.

In this article, we bust seven common myths about electric vehicles.

MYTH 1: Electric vehicles are slow and have a very low range

FACT: Contrary to this belief, electric vehicles have better acceleration than ICE versions as they are powered by an electric motor that generates 100% available torque immediately without the use of any gears. The most affordable EV in the market - Tata Nexon EV max - can accelerate from 0 - 60 kmph in 4.6 seconds in sports mode and 6.4 seconds in city mode, compared to its petrol version which takes 5.93 seconds. A TVS Ntorq takes 9.2 seconds for 0 - 60 kmph and Ather takes 8.92 seconds, much faster than ICE scooters.

Fig 1 - The much awaited IONIQ 5 by Hyundai with over 500 kms range at full charge

With innovations in vehicle technology, there are several EV models across two, three and four wheelers that provide a range comparable ICEs. EVs can easily accommodate the average daily mileage of Indian drivers. For instance, an electric Tata Nexon can provide a range of 400+ km or a Hyundai IONIQ 5 has a range of 600+ km at full charge. Similarly, a few electric two-wheelers like Gravton Quanta and Simple One have a certified range of 300+ km, which is almost the same as a petrol two-wheeler.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency states that the average range of electric two-wheelers currently available in India is around 84 km per charge, which is enough for day-to-day travel within a city. The average range of electric cars is between 150-200 km per charge. Furthermore, with the expansion of battery swapping technology in India, recharging two and three wheelers will be as fast as fuelling one’s vehicle, further improving the range of EVs.

MYTH 2: India’s charging infrastructure makes electric vehicles an unfavourable choice

FACT: India’s charging infrastructure has seen rapid growth since 2020 and as of January 2023, the country has 5,254 public EV charging stations to cater to a total of 20.65 lakh EVs. Also, global estimates suggest that nearly 80% of EV charging happens at home or when the vehicle is stationary in parking lots. Therefore, a better assessment of charging infrastructure growth is the availability of charging points in homes and public places. This is fast growing in many cities, especially Delhi which has close to 2,452 charging points.

Fig 2 - Charging points set up in one of Delhi’s public parking spaces

Further, the Ministry of Power’s guidelines state that there should be at least one charging station available in a 3x3 km grid across the country and one charging station every 25 km on both sides of highways and roads. In a bid to accelerate the mass adoption of EVs, several state government policies have also mandated new buildings, parking areas and office spaces to have established charging facilities. Oil companies have announced the setting up of 22,000 EV charging stations in prominent cities and on national highways across the country – 10,000 will be installed by IOCL, 7,000 will be installed by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), and 5,000 will be installed by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL). This shows that EV charging infrastructure is on the right track in the country.

MYTH 3: Electric vehicles take a long time to charge

FACT: One of the major concerns among consumers is the charging time of EVs and battery durability. Technological advancements have reduced the charging time of EVs considerably. Some four-wheeler EVs like Kia EV6 can reach 80% charge in around 18 minutes on a rapid charge, whereas the Tata Nexon EV Max takes around 56 mins for the same. Electric two-wheelers like the Ather 450X can be 80% charged in 4 hours and 30 minutes and can be fast-charged to a 15 km range in 10 minutes.

Fig 3 - Companies like Log9 and Kazam are installing fact charging stations all over India

The time of charging depends upon the type of charger used. As per the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, currently available electric vehicles across two-wheeler, three-wheeler, and four-wheeler segments can be charged from 0%-80% in around 1 – 5 hours from slow to moderate chargers. If using a fast charger, EVs can be charged in less than 1 hour.

MYTH 4: Electric vehicle batteries only last a few years

FACT: Most EV batteries have a life beyond that of the vehicle for storing energy as the batteries used are superior and designed to offer a long service life. Going by current industry standards, most EVs today offer a battery warranty of a minimum of eight years and 1,60,934 km. For instance, Tesla offers an eight-year battery warranty and coverage of between 160934 – 241402 km depending on the model. Meanwhile, Hyundai IONIQ 5 offers a coverage of 10 years or 1,60,934 km. It also covers battery degradation if the pack loses no more than 30 per cent of its original charge during the warranty period.

MYTH 5: Electric vehicles aren’t safe for waterlogged roads

FACT: All electric vehicles come with compliance to an Ingress Protection (IP) standard which signifies that their electrical components are well-sealed and unlikely to provide an electrical hazard. Most EVs have an IP67 rating or more – where the 67 represents the protection against two elements, dust and water. An IP67 rating allows an object to remain submerged in water up to 1 metre for 30 minutes without any harm. Anything past 67 is generally used for specialized equipment such as submarines.

Fig 4 - Tata Tigor EV being tested to drive through waterlogged areas

MYTH 6: India’s electricity grid doesn’t have enough power to support electric vehicles

FACT: India has committed to having 500 GW of installed Renewable Energy capacity by 2030. The current weighted average emission factor of India for the national grid has been nearly constant between 2013-2019 at 0.82 tCO2/MWh. As the share of renewables increases and dependency on coal decreases, the overall emissions from electric vehicle use will also decrease further.

If India achieves 33% EV sales penetration by 2030, it will result in an additional 37 TWh of electricity demand. During the same time, India’s electricity production will grow to 2074 TWh. EVs would account for less than 1.3% of overall electricity demand, thereby proving little impact on India’s grid.

MYTH 7: Electric vehicles are prone to catching fires

FACT: The recent spurt in electric vehicles, especially two wheelers, catching fire has impacted consumer confidence in the new technology. While these incidents have been unfortunate, studies actually point to the fact that electric vehicles are least prone to catching fire compared to petrol and diesel, or hybrid. In the US, a more mature EV market, an assessment of fires shows that EV fires were only 25 in 100,000 units sold, compared to 1,529 for ICE in the same units sold.

MYTH 8: Electric vehicles aren’t as energy efficient & clean for the environment as they claim to be

FACT: Electric vehicles can convert about 59%–62% of the electrical energy from the grid to power at the wheels. Meanwhile, conventional petrol vehicles can only convert around 17%–21% of the energy from burning fuel. In addition, EVs can convert over 85 per cent of electrical energy into mechanical energy, or motion, compared to less than 40 per cent for a petrol engine. This signifies that an EV is roughly three times as efficient as an ICE vehicle.

EVs also typically have a smaller carbon footprint than ICE vehicles, even when we take into account the carbon footprint of manufacturing batteries or the electricity used for charging. Studies have shown that on average, petrol or diesel cars in Europe emit almost three times more carbon dioxide than an EV. Another popular argument against EVs is that they are not a clean source of transport until the electricity used to charge them is also generated from renewable or other clean energy sources. However, various studies have shown that even if EVs are charged by electricity produced from fossil fuels, they still emit less carbon. Further, EVs have no direct tailpipe emissions, which is a huge contribution to reducing air pollution as vehicular emissions are rapidly becoming the leading cause of pollution in many cities.

Sr. No	Vehicle segment	Incentive available	Number of vehicles to be incentivised	Maximum incentive per vehicle
1	e-2W (L1 & L2)	INR 5000/kwh	1,00,000	10,000
2	e-3W autos (L5M)	INR 5000/kwh	15,000	30,000
3	e-3W goods carrier (L5N)	INR 5000/kwh	10,000	30,000
4	e-4W cars (M1)	INR 5000/kwh	10,000	1,50,000
5	e-4W goods carrier (N1)	INR 5000/kwh	10,000	1,00,000
6	e-buses* (SRTu)	10% vehicle cos (ex factory)	1000	20,00,000

Road Tax / Vehicle Registration Fees	Manufactured within the State	Manufactured outside the State
Exemption on Road Tax	100% exemption for first 10,000 buyers 75% exemption for 10,001-15000 buyers 25 % exemption after 15000 buyers upto policy period	25% upto policy period
Exemption from Vehicle Registration Fees	100% exemption for first 10,000 buyers 75% exemption for 10,001-15000 buyers 25 % exemption after 15000 buyers upto policy period	25% upto policy period

S No	Type of PCS/SPCS	Incentive amount	Maximum Incentive available per PCS/SPCS	Max number of PCS/SPCS to be incentivised
1	Slow	60% of the cost	INR 10,000	15,000
2	Moderate/Fast	50% of the cost	INR 5,00,000	500
3	Solar Based fast#	70% of the cost	INR 7,00,000	500

Type of Unit	Max Limit	Max Admissible Subsidy
Micro	30% of FCI	Rs 2 Cr
Small		Rs 7 Cr
Medium		Rs 15 Cr
Non MSME		Rs 30 Cr

Sr No	Vehicle Segment	Incentives
1	Assured Buyback,	6% of total vehicle cost capped at INR 10,000/-
2	Battery warranty of at least 5 years	4% of total vehicle cost capped at INR 6,000/-

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5 kWh

Sr. No	Classification of EV	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25	2025-26	2026-27	Total
1	2W	2,000	8000	20,000	54,000	85,000	1,69,000
2	3W	200	800	2000	4,000	10,000	17,000
3	4W(Non Commercial)	100	400	1400	3,000	7,000	12,000
4	4W(Commercial)	10	40	100	300	650	1,100
5	Buses	10	25	65	200	600	900
	Total						2,00,000

Vehicle Category	Incentive	Maximum Incentive	Number of Electric Vehicles to be incentivized
e-Bicycle	Upfront: 25% of Cost of Bicycle	Rs. 3,000	First 25,000 Bicycle purchased during the policy period
e-2W	Upfront : Fixed Battery: Rs. 5,000/kWh Swappable Battery: Rs. 3000/kWh Scrapping : Rs 5,000	Rs. 30,000 Rs. 15,000 Rs. 5,000	First 10,000 vehicles registered during the policy period
e-Cart	Upfront : Fixed Battery: Rs. 5000/kWh Swappable Battery: Rs. 3000/kWh Retrofit Kit: 15% of cost	Rs. 30,000 Rs. 10,000 Rs.10,000	First 1000 e-Carts registered during the policy period
e-Autos	Upfront : Fixed Battery: Rs. 5000/kWh Swappable Battery: Rs. 3000/kWh Retrofit Kit: 15% of cost Scrapping : Rs 7,500	Rs. 30,000 Rs. 15,000 Rs. 15,000 Rs. 7,500	First 1000 e-Autos registered during the policy period
e-Goods Carrier L5N	Upfront : Fixed Battery: Rs. 5000/kWh Retrofit Kit: 15% of cost Scrapping: 15,000	Rs. 50,000 Rs. 15,000 Rs. 15,000	First 1000 Goods Carrier L5N registered during the policy period
e-Goods Carrier N1	Upfront: Fixed Battery: Rs. 5000/kWh Retrofit Kit: 15% of cost Scrapping: 15,000	Rs. 80,000 Rs. 25,000 Rs. 15,000	First 1000 Goods Carrier N1 registered during the policy period
4 W- e-Cars (Personal)	Upfront: Fixed Battery: Rs. 5,000/kWh Scrapping: 7000	Rs. 1,50,000 Rs. 7,000	First 2000, 4 W- e-Cars (Personal) (including Hybrids as defined in FAME II) registered during the policy period. Applicable only for vehicles with ex showroom price below INR 20 lakhs
4 W- e-Cars (Commercial)	Upfront: Fixed Battery: Rs. 10,000/kWh Scrapping: 7000	Rs. 2,00,000 Rs. 7,000	First 1000, 4 W- e-Cars (Commercial) (including Hybrids as defined in FAME II) registered during the policy period

Vehicle Category	Early Bird Incentive	Maximum Early Bird Incentive
e-Bicycle	Rs. 2000	Rs. 2,000
e-2W, e-Cart, e-Autos, e Goods Carrier (L5N and N1), e-4W (personal & commercial)	Rs 3,500/kWh	Rs. 50,000

Category	Incentive	Maximum Incentive
Private Charging	Infrastructure Incentive: Grant on purchase and installation of charging equipment	Rs. 6,000	Only for the first 30,000 private chargers installed during the policy period.
Public Charging	Reimbursement of GST paid 100% reimbursement of GST paid on the Fast Charging/Swapping Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) procured by private enterprises/individual	Rs. 50,000	Only for the first 50 fast charging /Swapping EVSE installed during the policy period. (Will not be applicable on Chargers under Central Subsidy)
	Upfront electricity infrastructure: Upfront cost on infrastructure for bringing power supply to Electric Vehicle Charging Station	Rs. 5,00,000	Only for the first 50 Public fast Charging/Swapping Stations installed in the state during the policy period. (Will not be applicable on Chargers under Central Subsidy)
	Electricity Duty Exemption: 100% Electricity duty exemption for Public Charging and Swapping stations	For policy period	For policy period

Sr No	Vehicle segment	Ceiling for Early Bird	2023 – 2027
1	2W	35	172
2	3W(E-Rickshaw/ E-Cart)	10	40
3	3W	10	40
4	Car(Including Taxis)	40	167
5	Bus	11	49
6	E-4w ([CV, Stage Carriage/Maxi Cabs)	10	41
Total	–	116	509

Sr No	Vehicle Segment	Subsidy (Whichever Is Lower)	Maximum ExShowroom Price to Avail (INR)
1	Two-Wheeler	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 15,000	1,50,000
2	Three-Wheeler – e Rickshaw / e-cart	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 30,000	3,00,000
3	Three-Wheeler	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 50,000	5,00,000
4	Car	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 2,50,000	25,00,000
5	Bus	25% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 50,00,000	2,00,00,000
6	E-4w ([CV, Stage Carriage/Maxi Cabs)	10% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 3,00,000	30,00,000

Sr No	Vehicle Segment	Subsidy (Whichever Is Lower)	Maximum ExShowroom Price to Avail (INR)	No of EVs to be subsdised
1	Two-Wheeler	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 60,000	1,50,000	28
2	Three-Wheeler – e Rickshaw / e-cart	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 60,000	3,00,000	10
3	Three-Wheeler	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 1,00,000	5,00,000	10
4	Car	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 5,00,000	25,00,000	33
5	Bus	50% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 1,00,00,000	2,00,00,000	11
6	E-4w ([CV, Stage Carriage/Maxi Cabs)	20% of the Ex-Showroom Price or INR 6,00,000	30,00,000	9
Total				101

Sr No	Vehicle segment	Number of EVs	State subsidy
1	2W	100	Rs.10,000/- per Kwh of battery capacity subject to a maximum of Rs.30,000/- per vehicle.
2	3W	50	Rs.10,000/- per Kwh of battery capacity subject to a maximum of Rs.50,000/- per vehicle.
3	4W	50	Rs.10,000/- per Kwh of battery capacity subject to a maximum of Rs.2,00,000/- per vehicle

Sr. No	Owner of PCS	Subsidy
1	Retail Outlet of Oil Marketing Companies	15% of the cost of putting up Public Charging Infrastructures and Stations will be reimbursed by the State Govt. in the form of subsidy/ incentive.
2	Local Entrepreneurs	25% of the cost of putting up Public Charging Infrastructures and Stations will be reimbursed by the State Govt. in the form of subsidy/ incentive

Category of vehicle	% Of subsidy	The maximum amount of subsidy
Electric Two-wheelers	15%	Rs. 5000/-
Electric Three-wheelers	15%	Rs.12,000/-
Electric Four Wheelers	15%	Rs. 1,00,000/-

Criteria	Threshold Value
Min. top speed	40km/hour
Min. acceleration	0.65m/s2
Max. electric energy consumption	Not exceeding 7kWh/ 100km
Warranty	At least 3 years comprehensive warranty including that of battery from the manufacturer

Criteria	Threshold value
Min. top speed	40 km/hr
Min. acceleration	0.65 m/s2
Max. electric energy consumption Not exceeding	7 kWh/100km
Warranty	At least 3 years comprehensive warranty including that of battery from the manufacturer

Vehicle Segment	Battery Size in KWH (approx.)	State Subsidy Amount(Rs.)	Total State Subsidy (Rs.)	Maximum ex-factory price to avail incentive (Rs.)
Electric Two wheeler	2 KWH	10000/- per kWh	20000/-	1,50,000
Electric Three wheeler	5 KWH	10000/- per kWh	50000/-	5,00,000
Electric Four wheeler	15 KWH	10000/- per kWh	150000/-	15,00,000

Vehicle Segment	Max vehicle to be supported	Approx. battery size	Approx incentive @10,000 per kWh
Electric 2 wheeler	24,000	2 kWh	20,000/-
Electric 3 wheeler	70,000	5 kWh	50,000/-
Electric 4 wheeler	4000	15 kWh	150,000/-
4 wheeler (SHEV)	1000	1.3 kwh	13,000/-
Electric bus	1000	250 kwh	25,00,000/-

Vehicle Segment	Incentive Available ( INR)	No. of Vehicles to be Incentivized	Maximum Incentive per Vehicle (INR)
Electric Two Wheeler (L1 & L2)	5000/kwh	1,00,000	10,000
Electric 3 Wheeler autos (L5M)	5000/kwh	15,000	30,000
Electric 3 Wheeler goods carrier (L5N)	5000/kwh	10,000	30,000
Electric 4 Wheeler cars (M1)	5000/kwh	10,000	1,50,000
Electric 4 Wheeler goods carrier (N1)	5000/kwh	10,000	1,00,000
Electric buses	10% of vehicle Cost	1,000	20,00,000

Vehicle Segment	Scrappage Incentive
Electric Two-Wheeler	INR 7,000
Electric Three-Wheeler	INR 15,000
Electric Four Wheeler	INR 25,000

Incentives Description	Incentives
Assured Buyback	6% of total vehicle cost capped at INR 10,000/-
Battery warranty of at least 5 years	4% of total vehicle cost capped at INR 6,000/-

CHARGING STATION	Incentive
Small Charging Stations	Capital Subsidy of 25% of the value of the charging equipment/machinery for first 300 charging stations up to a Maximum subsidy of INR 1,50,000
Medium Charging Stations	Capital Subsidy of 25% of the value of the charging equipment/machinery for the first 100 stations up to a Maximum subsidy of INR 2,00,000.
Large Charging Stations	Capital Subsidy of 25% of the value of the charging equipment/machinery for the first 100 stations up to a Maximum subsidy of INR 10,00,000.

Vehicle Segment	State Subsidy Amount (in Rs.)	Max ex-factory price to avail incentive (in Rs.)
2 wheeler	Rs. 10,000/- per kWh	1,.50,000
3 wheeler	Rs. 10,000/- per kWh	5,00,000
4-Wheeler	Rs. 10,000/- per kWh	15,00,000

EV Segment	Demand Incentives
Electric 2-wheeler	Purchase incentive of Rs. 5,000/- per kWh of battery capacity; Maximum incentive of Rs. 30,000/- per vehicle Incentive for scrapping and de-registering old ICE two wheelers registered in Delhi: Up to Rs. 5,000/- of the incentive shall be reimbursed by the GNCTD All delivery service providers shall be expected to convert 50% of their fleet operating in Delhi to electric by 3V March, 2023 and 100% by 31st March, 2025.
E-Autos	Open permit system shall be applicable & be given on first-come-first-serve basis; no cap on permits issued to e-autos in Delhi Purchase Incentive of Rs. 30,000/- per vehicle shall be provided by GNCTD Interest subvention of 5% on loans and/or hire purchase scheme for the purchase of an e-auto Incentive for scrapping and de-registering old ICE auto rickshaws registered in Delhi: Up to Rs. 7,500/- of the incentive shall be reimbursed by the GNCTD The auto-rickshaw permits linked to the de-registered ICE vehicle can be surrendered and exchanged for an e-auto permit at no additional cost.
E-rickshaws & E-carts	Purchase Incentive of Rs. 30,000/- per vehicle shall be provided by GNCTD Interest subvention of 5% on loans and/or hire purchase schemes Buses
E-buses	Pure electric buses shall constitute at least 50% of all new stage-carriage buses (i.e., for all public transport vehicles with 15 seats or more) procured for the city fleet including for last-mile connectivity Induction of 1000 pure electric buses by 2020
Goods Carriers	A Purchase Incentive of Rs. 30,000/- to the first 10,000 e-Carriers to be registered in Delhi after the issuance of this policy. Interest subvention of 5% on loans and/or hire purchase schemes. Incentive for scrapping and de-registering old ICE goods carriers registered in Delhi: Up to Rs. 7,500/- of the Incentive shall be reimbursed by the GNCTD Goods carriers (i.e., L5N and N1 type)
Four wheeler	Purchase Incentive of Rs. 10,000/- per kWh of battery capacity Maximum incentive of Rs. 1,50,000/- per vehicle to the registered owners of the first 1000 e-cars to be registered in Delhi after the issuance of this policy