EVs | Hype or Future?

India’s electric vehicle revolution should have turned into a fireworks show by now. Instead, it feels like a modestly-attended birthday party with polite applause, some stuttering moves and a load of fizzled-out romances. Consider that moment in 2021 when everyone ooh-ed and aah-ed that India would go electric overnight. Every brand from home-grown giants to wannabe global players threw glossy launches at a star-struck nation—Nexon, MG ZS, BYD, XUV400s. Social media bladders tinkled with belated relief that India’s EV future hath cometh.

Fast forward to today and the revolution is less a ‘Tesla moment’ and more of a speed bump no one saw coming. Sales are growing, sure, but not at the pace that the hype-train sold us on. Even today, charging bays remain rarer than polite drivers. Range anxiety refuses to give way. And families continue their living room whispers: “Should we wait another year?”

As an auto expert said, “EVs in India are like weight-loss resolutions. The intentions are great, but the follow-through is inconsistent.”

The Infrastructure Mirage

Here’s a truth nobody likes admitting. India’s charging infrastructure is still a patchy, uneven quilt. Metro cities may have made strides, with fast-chargers popping up in malls like aggro retail interns. But drive 20 km off any highway and battery anxiety kicks in. EV-owners share stories that feel half-adventurish, half-cautionary. Waiting 90 minutes at a charging outlet because the car ahead refuses to power up beyond 7 per cent. Charging stations on the blip for maintenance. Chargers where the plug doesn’t fit, or the app refuses to cooperate.

This is not a claim that progress isn’t happening. It is. But as one analyst put it, “We built the EVs much faster than we built the world they need to survive in.”

Read the story of a Tamil Nadu EV-owner (social media handle ‘praruaaa4’) who set off on a week-long getaway in his Volvo XC40 Recharge, taking with him his mother, wife and son. What makes the narrative poignant is that on most evenings during this ‘holiday’, the owner would deposit his mother and wife in the hotel room and set out with his son to scour for a charging station, spending most nights inside the car while it lapped up as much power as its batteries could store.

The Hybrid Middle Path

While the electric camp battles teething troubles, a stealth hero has emerged; the hybrid. Models like the Toyota Hyryder and Maruti’s Grand Vitara are quietly winning urban hearts. They whisper an irresistible and alluring pitch: they offer mileage buyers actually believe, zero anxiety about charging stops and emissions that are better than any petrol car’s conscience.

Globally, hybrids abroad have been mainstream for two decades. In India, they have only now been discovered, akin to a cult classic movie that was always on offer on Netflix, but was ignored till someone tweeted about it. Hence, those walking on the fence between petrol and electric have happily dug out their chequebooks and signed unhesitatingly on the hybrid line.

There’s a reason this category is growing at a fast clip. It offers the smugness of going green with none of the daily-life complications of a pure-bred EV. For those who are not convinced, remember our friend from Tamil Nadu, remember his son, and remember the plush-leather Volvo front seats that played home to their holiday behinds.

Vexed Cost Problem

Let’s address the elephant in the showroom. Undeniably, EVs are expensive, especially for the middle-class family that evaluates every EMI like a game-threatening chess move. Even with subsidies, the upfront costs bite hard. The Nexon EV’s higher variants hover closer to mid-range SUVs. The MG ZS EV is priced as though it expects applause simply for existing. And BYD’s Seal, while brilliant, costs as much as a fully-loaded luxury sedan.

Analysts argue that battery prices will gradually fall. Eventually. One day. But right now, an EV purchase feels like buying tomorrow’s solution at today’s premium.

Meanwhile, resale value—India’s kitna deti hai obsession—remains murky. A used EV’s worth depends on battery health, software updates and future regulations. The dreaded tax factor also comes into play. And since the first-buyer has already chewed the subsidy cud, he has to regurgitate it at the time of selling it to the second owner. That, apart from being gross, is something the authorities have made too convoluted for the average buyer to easily evaluate.

Global Parallel, Local Reality

Worldwide, EV transition is slowing down, with Europe losing much of its early enthusiasm. The United States is also rethinking the subsidy pyramid. Tesla has slashed prices to protect demand. India’s EV hesitation is not an outlier, it’s part of a global recalibration that’s asking “How fast is too fast?” Further, unlike markets in the West, India does not have a dependable charging grid or generous government support to cushion the risk. The roly-poly Indian’s EV leap has to be soberly calculated, culturally aligned and infinitely patient.

Given this dark backdrop, who should buy an EV in India? Honestly, the answer is the early adopter, or one who enjoys tech and can charge the EV at home, or one who drives mostly in the city and can live with the occasional inconvenience. For such buyers, EVs offer refinement, dirt-cheap running costs and a futuristic experience that petrol cars just can’t compete with.

For the middle-of-the-road family, the calculus is harder. As an analyst friend summed it up: “The EV conversation in India is less about the car and more about the lifestyle.”

Not a Rush, But an Amble

India will go electric, that’s inevitable. But it will not happen with a cinematic bang. It will happen the Indian way—slowly, pragmatically, through hybrids, incremental infrastructure, and the eventual drop in battery prices.

Even in these early stages, auto firms are already re-strategizing. Tata’s Curvv EV is promising better range and faster charging. Mahindra’s upcoming Born Electric line-up is being ripened with one eye on the mass market. Hyundai, Kia and BYD are watching their pricing like hawks. To sum things up, the EV revolution isn’t dead. It isn’t delayed. It’s just growing up. And like all things Indian, it will arrive fashionably late. And it will be impossible to ignore.