Real-world electric vehicle ownership continues to provide invaluable insight into the ability of electric SUVs to help cover long-distance family vacations at a much lower price than petrol or diesel. In a recent tweet by Ashish Kumar Meher (@AshishMeher7), he spoke about a 1,050 km family road-trip across Odisha in his Tata Nexon EV 45 that he managed to cover with a total charging expense of merely ₹3,050, which includes the electricity used to charge the vehicle at home.
According to Ashish, the total amount spent on charging came out to approximately ₹2.9 per km, which goes to show how much money can be saved on a family vacation in an electric SUV compared to a petrol or diesel car. His experience also underlines the importance of charging infrastructure along the way and at one’s destination to make long-distance travel in electric cars convenient.
While travelling towards Keonjhar, Ashish only had to stop and charge his vehicle once along the way, which shows how easy it can be to cover longer distances in an electric car if one plans the route ahead and uses the charging infrastructure strategically. Rather than stopping at charging stations en-route, Ashish was even able to utilise the hotel where he stayed overnight to recharge his car.
During his local travel within Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj, Ashish used the DC fast-charging stations at the hotel to recharge his vehicle. Not only did this allow him to cover greater distances, but it also made local travel more convenient without having to spend extra time searching for a charging station. Charging at one’s destination can be a lifesaver for someone who wants to take their family on a long-distance vacation in an electric car.
On his return trip, Ashish had to stop and charge his vehicle twice, as opposed to once on his onward journey. While his experience shows how much one can reduce one’s charging expenses on a long-distance road-trip by strategically planning one’s route and utilising the charging infrastructure at one’s destination, the amount of charge needed to recharge the vehicle can vary significantly depending on the driving pattern, road conditions, and the number of passengers/luggage the car is carrying along with the weather conditions and availability of charging stations.
With that being said, Ashish’s experience underlines the importance of using a combination of charging stations en-route, at one’s destination, and at home to make long-distance travel in electric cars convenient. His Tata Nexon EV 45 is the long-range variant of Tata’s popular electric SUV, which makes his experience applicable to anyone considering buying an electric car for both long and short-distance travel. With a larger 45 kWh battery, the Nexon EV 45 has a much larger driving range than its rivals with smaller battery sizes, making it a viable option for people who want to use their electric vehicle for long-distance travel occasionally.
When it comes to the driving range of the Nexon EV 45, however, it is important to remember that it can vary greatly depending on the driving pattern, road conditions, and the use of the air conditioner. Ashish’s experience also highlights the importance of factoring in the amount of electricity one uses to charge their electric car at home when calculating the running cost of one’s electric vehicle. In his tweet, he mentioned that the total amount he spent on charging came out to approximately ₹2.9 per km, which factors in the amount of electricity he used to charge his vehicle at home.
In comparison, the running cost of a petrol or diesel SUV on a 1,050 km trip would depend on the fuel economy of one’s SUV and the current price of petrol/diesel in one’s city/state. When factoring in the maintenance cost of an electric car vs. a petrol/diesel car, it is also important to remember that the running cost of an electric car is only one aspect of the total cost of owning an electric vehicle.
As India’s public charging infrastructure continues to improve, experiences like Ashish’s will continue to reassure potential electric vehicle buyers that long-distance travel in electric cars is much more convenient than one might think. With a combination of charging stations along major routes and at hotels, it is now much easier to plan one’s long-distance travel in electric cars without having to spend a lot of time searching for a charging station.
Ashish Kumar Meher’s 1,050 km family vacation in his Tata Nexon EV 45 that he managed to cover with a total charging expense of only ₹3,050 is yet another example of how real-world electric vehicle ownership continues to prove the convenience of electric cars. With only one stop to charge his vehicle on his onward journey, two stops on his return journey, and the ability to use DC fast-charging at the hotel to keep his family entertained while on the road, his experience underlines the importance of using the charging infrastructure strategically when embarking on a long-distance road-trip in an electric SUV.