Mr. Sameer Bhatt recently went on a long-distance trip in Kia’s Syros LR EV from Noida to Nathuakhan in Uttarakhand and back, and he provided a few valuable insights regarding the vehicle’s performance, efficiency and practicality on different kinds of terrain. He started his journey from Noida at 5 am with 87 percent state of charge, and he made it to Rudrapur – 231.6 km away – in 3 hours and 50 minutes, maintaining speeds of 75-90 km/h on generally clear roads with little hard acceleration.
Efficiency on this route came out to a solid 9.0 km/kWh, and he had 39 percent SOC left on arrival. A top-up to 85 percent at a DC charger cost him Rs 684 inclusive of tax. The second leg of his journey to Nathuakhan – some 100 km away – proved to be much more arduous as he had to contend with heavy traffic along with many uphill stretches with the occasional downhill stretch mixed in. It took him nearly 10 hours to complete this leg, and the car arrived with 39 percent charge left after climbing a few elevations and gaining about three percent during the downhill stretches.
Charging at the accommodation proceeded at a leisurely pace of 1.5-1.7 kW, using the regular per-unit rate. On the return journey, Bhatt set off from Nathuakhan with a full 99 percent state of charge. He arrived at Haldwani with 94 percent charge left after a mix of uphill and downhill driving that saw the level dip to 90 percent on one stretch before being regained on the Bhimtal downhill. With little topping-up en route, he arrived back in Noida with 34 percent SOC after covering the 333 km route in 6 hours and 48 minutes, mostly at 85-95 km/h speeds, with occasional rapid accelerations for overtaking. Return efficiency came out to an impressive 9.8 km/kWh. Bhatt found the experience pretty good and largely stress-free, apart from the long 15-hour first day and encounters with temperamental mountain drivers. The return journey proved to be a piece of cake. He found the Syros LR EV’s battery management system to be accurate, and the min-max range indicators to be handy. The car felt confident on the road, and the potholes were no bother.
The large rear seats kept his wife and child happy all the way, and they were especially pleased with the generous space in the cabin. Bhatt said he was happy to take the EV for such a long haul anytime, as it is his only car. The trip helped him set two personal bests, with the longest time spent on the road to Uttarakhand in a single day coming in at 15 hours, and the shortest return time from Nathuakhan to Noida coming in at under 7 hours. A few lessons were also learned from the trip. Fully topping up before departure seems to be crucial, even if he managed okay with an 87 percent start.
Careful planning becomes paramount on such long journeys, where range anxiety can easily set in, but EVs hold the advantage over ICE vehicles on long journeys where there is little energy consumption while stuck in traffic jams. Bhatt said that he avoids topping up to 100 percent at DC chargers unless absolutely necessary, as it is a waste both of time and money, and it’s best to avoid it unless there is no other option.
He said that the power rating of a DC charger is halved when there are two cars plugging in at the same time, and so it is best to avoid that unless you’re in a hurry. He also said that bringing along a 20-metre extension cable proved to be handy at the accommodation, and he advised reducing the amperage at charging stations when in remote locations with potential issues with the wiring to avoid risk of overheating, and he limited himself to a safe 8 amps. The experience goes to show that the Kia Syros LR EV is a solid companion for long road trips with the family, providing great range, confidence on the road and overall practicality for day-to-day use, even on the hilly roads of Uttarakhand.