- 39.4 per cent buyers expect a minimum battery life of five-years

- 75 per cent of the buyers will find solace in minimum driving range of 300kms

Electric mobility is relatively a new concept in India. In the last few years we have witnessed a few electric launches, however, none of them have been able to hold a strong footing in the mainstream market. As we try to understand the psyche of electric car buyers, our survey findings reveal the key aspects that a potential electric car buyer seeks. In our previous story, we spoke about the importance of a good driving range. To learn more about the findings, click here. Apart from a good driving range, potential car buyers also seek longer battery lifecycle. Read on to find out why we say so.

The motor in the electric cars are powered by strong batteries. Unlike a regular combustion engine wherein you fill fuel and drive, electric cars batteries have to optimally store the energy and optimally utilise this electric charge to power the vehicle and deliver a better driving range at the same time. Li-ion battery is efficient and reliable, however a replacement will burn a hole in your pocket. Blame it on limited localisation or heavy import taxes, batteries are currently one of the most expensive component in an electric vehicle. Our survey findings have also revealed a similar data, wherein 39.4 per cent of the potential buyers expect a minimum battery life of five-years, while 27 per cent expect a minimum battery life of 10 years. The remaining expect minimum battery life of three-years and eight-years.

Potential buyers will opt for electric cars due to environmental concerns and 50 per cent of our survey respondents already believe that electric cars are a viable alternative to petrol/diesel cars. Among these, 56 per cent say that they would switch to an electric car if it was offered in the same price range as a petrol or diesel car. Moreover, 75 per cent of the buyers will be satisfied even with a minimum driving range of 300kms.

Electric cars are the future of mobility. However, infrastructure developments, reliability, low cost of ownership and adequate safety equipment will be key factors that will determine its success. Going forward, we expect to witness new electric-powered product launches from mainstream car manufacturers in India.

The above-mentioned findings are based on a 10-day survey conducted from 1 November to 10 November, 2019. Among 1,70,588 respondents, 80 per cent of the population comprised of prospective buyers. And, about 85 per cent of the buyers were in the age group of 18 to 45 years.