Money over time:Why an EV actually makes sense for most of us.

1. Yes, the sticker price is high – but policy does the heavy lifting

Let's be honest: if you just compare ex-showroom prices, the EV version of a Nexon, Creta, or XUV is expensive compared to the petrol or diesel one. That is the main reason people get scared looking at the price list.

But the actual on-road cheque you write is different. EVs stack a few silent benefits that cut the cost down:

• • FAME II / PM E-Drive support is often baked into the price for mass-market EVs.
• • State Subsidies: Places like Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat often have schemes that shave off significant amounts from the final cost.
• • Road Tax & Registration Waivers: This is the big one. In many EV-friendly states, you pay zero road tax. On a petrol car, that tax is lakhs of rupees.

Basically, the policy is trying to cushion that upfront gap. Once you add 7–10 years of running costs, the gap usually disappears entirely.

2. You are probably not driving 400km every day

EV discussions on WhatsApp always assume someone is driving from Mumbai to Ladakh every weekend. Real life is more boring. 95% of people will find that an EV suits their needs perfectly because:

• • Daily office commute + errands is usually just 30 to 80 km.
• • Long drives happen maybe a few times a year, not every Tuesday.
• • Rarely do people actually cross 400 km in a single day on a regular basis.

If you mostly live inside the city with the occasional road trip, the additional time spent charging is worth it if you look at the monetary benefits. You trade 30 mins at a charger for thousands of rupees saved.

3. Charging is less complicated than it looks on Instagram

Most EV owners do 80–90% of their charging at home. A normal 15A "heavy duty" socket (roughly 3.3 kW) running overnight for 8–10 hours can push 25–30 units into the car. On typical Indian EV efficiency, that's easily 150–200 km of real range while you sleep.

Nowadays, many hotels offer EV charging on their premises making it easier. Also if you go to some other house, you can still use a standard 15A heavy duty plug to charge your car for an additional 100–150 km range overnight. You usually skip fuel pumps entirely.

4. Monthly outgo: fuel + service is where the EV quietly wins

Once you start combining loan EMI with running cost, the picture flips faster than people expect. A Nexon EV might have a slightly higher EMI than a Nexon diesel, but electricity per km is usually 3–5× cheaper than petrol or diesel.

If you drive 1,000–1,500 km a month, the difference in monthly fuel + service spend can be big enough that your total monthly outgo (EMI + fuel + basic service) for the EV ends up close to, or even lower than, the ICE version after a few years.

5. Stuff you simply stop paying for

On the maintenance side, EVs are boring in a good way. You still have tyres and wipers, but you basically delete the entire drama of an ICE drivetrain. You stop paying for:

• • Engine oil and filters every year.
• • Gearbox oil for automatics/AMTs.
• • DEF / AdBlue for BS6 diesels.
• • Injector cleaners and fuel system additives.

You also don't worry about clutch failures, turbo issues, or complex engine gaskets. Over 7–10 years, avoiding these big mechanical failure points has a real money value.

6. Who might still be better off with petrol or diesel?

EVs are not a magic solution for everyone. There are clear cases where ICE still makes sense:

• • You genuinely cannot get a 15A charging point at home or office.
• • You drive very long highway distances multiple times a week and hate planning stops.
• • Your state has no meaningful EV incentives, making the ROI period too long.

For everyone else – especially if you drive a lot inside the city – EVs are already at a point where the money story is about long-term savings rather than just sticker shock.