The automotive industry is getting vast day by day. There is a long list of cars for the public to choose from. With the advancement of technology, carmakers have started producing modern futuristic cars. Electric mobility is the upcoming future. The future of electric vehicles appears promising in India.
According to the reports, the global electric mobility market size currently is at 4,093 thousand units which are expected to reach 34,756 thousand units by 2030, at a CAGR of 26.8%. India has shown interest to be a part of the automotive paradigm shift.
Now the confusion arises to pick the right car for yourself. With the kind of options available in the market, customers are confused as to whether to opt for an electric vehicle or for a petrol/diesel car.
Automakers now have a list of variants available with their model. Even with just diesel and petrol engines, there is a long list of variants to choose from depending on the budget, transmission, features, safety and creature comforts. Many mainstream cars these days are also offering an electric variant as an alternative to opt for.
Not today but hardly five years from now, there would be a complete shift towards electric mobility. It is already in the news that the Government of India would anytime say NO to diesel engines whereas, it is seen that many carmakers like Maruti Suzuki, Skoda, Volkswagen have already stopped manufacturing diesel units and the focus is shifting towards producing either refined petrol engines or electric cars with higher ranges.
With the shift in time and technology, people have stopped applying the older strategy of purchasing diesel or petrol cars for low running costs. The time has come to make a wiser decision of shifting towards electric vehicles as it is seen how the fuel prices are touching heights. Looking at the current scenario, we have conducted a Diesel vs Electric Cars Comparison to help you pick one that suits you the best.
Diesel vs Electric Cars Comparison - Pros and Cons
The first most important factor to consider before making a decision is the price. The price of an entry-level electric car is higher than that of a diesel or petrol car. Let's take an example of a common layman who is planning to buy a car under Rs 10 lakhs. The price of an EV in India starts at Rs 11.99 lakhs (ex-showroom) which goes out of budget due to which one will think of opting for a diesel car that would be fuel efficient, maintenance free and economical in all aspects.
Whereas, the maintenance cost of an EV is next to nothing if compared with that of a normal car. But the point of concern arises with the pricing. The electric vehicles launched so far also have its petrol and diesel variants. Tata introduced Nexon in the market with diesel and petrol engines, whereas, it also introduced a Nexon EV in the market. Though electric cars are silent, eco-friendly and fun to ride but are more expensive than the normal trims.
Running Cost
Due to the pandemic, there was a sudden increase in the prices of the fuel. Earlier, it was said that if your car has good running you should opt for a diesel car but now looking at the prices of the fuels, petrol and diesel are almost at the same level. Now, here comes the flip side of the story. An average cost of an electricity unit is Rs 8 which clearly means that running an EV is much cheaper than a diesel car.
An electric vehicles running cost is about Rs 0.5 per kilometer whereas a conventional diesel car costs about Rs 5 per kilometer. If seen logically, purchasing an expensive electric vehicle isnt a better choice to opt for a cheaper diesel model. The difference in running cost is right in front of you which also means that the owner can easily recover the price paid that he/she would have paid for a petrol/diesel car.
Ease of Use
With the lack of electric power stations in the country, electric car owners always have anxiety about the range of the car. The construction of power stations is under process, the Government of India is in a push for faster adoption of EVs in the market. The carmakers have installed charging stations at their homes themselves to make it convenient for the public. This is the only advantage of purchasing an electric car.
On the other hand, wherever and whenever needed, one can easily visit a fuel station and can get the fueling done in his/her car. One can easily locate a fuel pump near its location but electric power stations are limited in number for now. The customers are in wait to overlook the shortage of sufficient infrastructure.
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Pollution
Pollution is one of the reasons for the introduction of electric vehicles in the country. Diesel cars after running certain kilometres start producing a lot of pollution especially if the carbon gathered in the exhaust pipes is not cleaned from time to time. Even after updating to BS6 norms, diesel cars tend to produce more pollution than petrol cars. On the other hand, an electric vehicle is an eco-friendly vehicle for which the Government is pushing for faster adoption of EVs to reduce the rising pollution levels.
So, the diesel vs electric cars comparison between the cars is right in front of you. After comparing the important aspects like pollution, ease of use, running cost, and positives and negatives it is evident that electric mobility is the new future. Government is in a plan to invest more in electric power stations so that the only disadvantage also becomes an advantage.
So, what are your views on this diesel vs electric cars comparison? Do let us know through the comments section below. Join our 91Wheels Telegram and 91Wheels Whatsapp group to know more about vehicles, conduct discussions on your favourite ride and much more! Also, you can subscribe to our Youtube channel for video content on the latest from the world of cars and motorcycles.
