A recent survey conducted by ACKO and YouGov indicates that in India, electric vehicles (EVs) will overtake diesel and petrol vehicles by 2030. We are witnessing not only an increased range per charge but also a massive overhaul of charging infrastructure across the country. It is now becoming easier to consider taking your EV for a road trip, something that was a bleak prospect in the recent past. As more people start to travel with their EVs this year, we present a roundup of some of our favourite models to look out for in 2023.
Best Electric Vehicles (EVs) For Road Trips:
Mercedes-Benz EQB
The German carmaker, a market leader in the luxury segment in India, released its highly impressive seven-seater, all-electric SUV, EQB at the end of 2022. Fashioned loosely on its iconic ultra-luxe SUV—the GLS—this EV is informally referred to as the ‘Baby GLS’.
Interiors
The interiors are plush. The car describes itself as a seven-seater, we’d say that the third row is only big enough for kids or pets.
Exteriors
The exteriors are sporty, refined yet muscular, and robust.
Range
The EQB comes fitted with a 66.5 kWH lithium-ion battery and promises a range of 423 km on a single charge. We test drove the car recently and loved the overall immersive drive experience. This EV does pack in a lot of punch and indicates a 0-100 kmph sprint of eight seconds. The EQB has two motors that result in a very powerful, torque-fuelled drive.
Why we love it
We tested the Torque Shift feature, which results in increased traction, ideal for both off-road and city conditions. The manufacturer has already installed 30 ultra-fast chargers across the country, and a complimentary AC wall charger for every customer.
Price
At a price of INR 74.5 lakh, we predict that the EQB should be able to carve a niche segment.
Volvo XC40 Recharge
The Swedish manufacturer’s first locally assembled luxury vehicle in India is the chic XC40 Recharge. This particular car is sold exclusively by Volvo India’s online platform.
Exteriors
In terms of looks, this compact SUV is ideal as a city car but evolves perfectly into a road tripper.
Interiors
The Swedish carmaker is known for its unfailing commitment to design; instantly visible in the highly stylised and functional cabin. The five-seater also comes with a chic Harman Kardon sound system.
Range
This EV promises an impressive range of 418 km per charge, which makes it ideal for a four-to-five-hour road trip. The two-motor engineering makes it a powerful machine with an impressive torque, 0-100 kmph in 4.9 seconds.
Why we love it
It is considered by many as the safest car in the world with features like whiplash protection, anti-collision systems, and blind spot system.
Price
At an ex-showroom price of INR 56.9 lakh, Volvo has found a sweet spot in the bridge-to-luxury segment.
MG ZS EV
Morris Garages’ hugely popular—and affordable—electric vehicle, the ZS EV is a tech-lover’s car. MG is known to offer its drivers all the technological creator comforts and this car is no different.
Interiors
What we loved most about the ZS EV is just how plush the cabin, with a panoramic sunroof is, for a car in this segment. Resolutely premium and well designed, the user interface on the 10.1-inch touchscreen is outstanding, as is the stylish digital cluster.
Exteriors
The ZS EV scores high with its sleek, urban appearance, signature front grille, and stylised headlights and taillights.
Why we love it
While test driving the car, we just loved the easy and smooth drive; it handles the city roads quite effortlessly and delivers a more than decent punch on the accelerator.
Range
Dubbed as India’s very first all-electric SUV, the ZS EV is powered by a 50.3 kWh battery and pumps out an impressive 461 km of range in a one-time charge.
Price
At an attractive price point of INR 22.5 lakh, this car gets our thumbs up.
Hyundai KONA Electric
We absolutely loved driving the Hyundai KONA Electric as the South Korean carmaker has heavily invested on an extremely stylish and luxe cabin.
Exteriors
For starters, this is a very good-looking car on the outside with its futuristic lines and eclectic font panel to replace a traditional grille.
Interiors
We loved the front ventilated and heated seats, elegant buttons, sunroof, the driver-only air conditioning option, and the responsive touchscreen for the infotainment system.
Range
With its range of 452 km on a single charge, and a 57-minute promise with a DC quick charger, driving the Hyundai Kona Electric is an absolute pleasure.
Why we love it
Under the hood, the Kona Electric packs in a lot of punch with its different drive modes like Eco, Eco+, Comfort, and Sport. The car promises a 0 to 100 kmph sprint in 9.7 seconds.
Price
This EV comes at a price point of INR 23.7 lakh
Tata Motors Tiago.ev
Taking India one step closer to a more sustainable and environment-friendly future, the Tata Motors Tiago.ev is affordable, luxe, and safe all at once.
Exteriors
The homegrown carmaker is extremely bullish in the EV segment and with the Tiago.ev, it ventures into the hatch segment.
Interiors
We test drove the car recently and what impressed us most is the extremely premium feel of the cabin with its leatherette seats, accented roof, and climate control. The car comes with an eight-speaker Harman infotainment system, with an easy and responsive user interface.
Performance
The drive experience was smooth with increased ease thanks to the cruise control system and more than impressive torque, which takes the car from 0 to 100 kmph in 5.7 seconds. The manufacturer is offering two battery options for this car, a 19.2 kWh and a 24 kWh battery pack, which deliver a range of 250 km and 315 km, respectively.
Why we love it
For short road trips to the city outskirts, this one is perfect! We loved swapping between driving modes, City and Sport, with four levels of brake regenerative settings in each drive mode and found that the car handled the road impeccably and delivered just as much power as needed for city roads.
Price
At a very attractive price point of INR 8.49 lakh, this car will surely be a game changer in the Indian market, in its segment.
Audi e-tron 55
In terms of electric mobility in the luxury segment in India, it is safe to say that Audi is leading the pack with five ultra-luxe EVs launched in the recent past.
Exteriors
We’ve got our eyes on the sporty Audi e-tron 55, which quite literally breaks stereotypes surrounding a full-sized all-electric SUV.
Interiors
The vehicle sports highly stylised interiors. We love the overall texture, the ergonomic seats, and a host of other perks like Audi’s ever familiar infotainment system with an easy interface.
Range
This EV will let you drive anywhere between 359-484 km on a single charge. Its massive frame can sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in 5.7 seconds. Electric motors at the front and rear end of the e-tron 55 produce a combined punch of 300 kW, while the quattro technology ensures maximum traction between wheels.
Why we love it
To optimise performance and push the car to its limit, we loved alternating between modes on the Audi Drive Select option. To complement this, there is the e-tron Hub section on the Audi Connect app that indicates the closest charging stations, range calculator, charging time estimator, and more. We’re huge fans of how Audi conceives its cabin experience and the Audi Virtual Cockpit is as immersive and intuitive as it gets.
Price
Its hefty price tag of INR 1.16 crore definitely attracts a niche clientele, who are fans of the unmistakable ‘auattro’ drive experience.
Related: We Discover The Road To Sustainable Fashion With The Hyundai KONA Electric
