The internet is a noisy place, especially if you are looking to buy a car in India. Over a year ago, when I decided to buy an Electric Vehicle (EV) to fuel a late-discovered passion for road trips, I turned where everyone does: YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).
What I found was a wall of anxiety.
Mainstream automotive content in India is heavily centralized around the Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru hubs. Here in Mumbai, the local nuance is often lost. Watching superficial reviews from online influencers, my genuine enthusiasm quickly turned to ambiguity, stress, and fear. Range anxiety. Lack of charging infrastructure. Risks of traveling with family. Terrible resale value. The rhetoric was imaginative, but far from the truth.
But as AR Rahman once beautifully said, "You can choose Hate or Love." I chose love. I decided to let my hair down, ignore the echo chamber, and trust the machine.
Over the last nine months, my EV has taken me through the Rann of Kutch, Hampi, the Konkan belt, and deep into interior Rajasthan (Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Kumbhalgarh). Range anxiety didn't just fade; it became entirely irrelevant.
Just recently, I completed a spiritual journey through the heart of Maharashtra to Kolhapur (Maa Ambabai Temple) and Pandharpur. This wasn't a solo endurance run. I was traveling with three generations: my 82-year-old father, my 76-year-old mother, and my 9-year-old son.
Here is how the trip went, backed by real-world data
The Route & The Real-World Numbers
Our journey kicked off during the breathtaking Maharashtra monsoon—where the lush green fields and pleasant weather make an irreplaceable backdrop for a drive.
Leg 1: Mumbai to Satara (Night Halt) 🔹 Distance: 269 km 🔋 Efficiency: 7.8 km/kWh (Driven normally: normal highway speeds, AC fully on, zero hypermiling)
Leg 2: Satara to Kolhapur 🔹 Distance: 127 km 🔋 Efficiency: 8.7 km/kWh ⏱️ Time: 2 hours 29 minutes
Leg 3: Kolhapur to Pandharpur 🔹 Distance: 184 km 🔋 Efficiency: 7.7 km/kWh ☕ Pit Stop: Stopped for local Missal Pav and grabbed a quick 26% top-up at a BPCL charger.
Leg 4: Pandharpur to Mumbai (Return Night Leg) 🔹 Distance: 363 km (Split into two stints due to traffic and a minor 10% top-up glitch with a local CPO network) 🔋 Final Stint Efficiency: 10.8 km/kWh (Phenomenal regen descending the ghats!)
Final Trip Statistics
- Total Distance Covered: 940 km
- Average Efficiency: 8.38 km/kWh
- Payload: 3 Adults (including elderly parents), 1 Child, 2 Bags
Influencer Myths, Utterly Busted
1. "EVs are only meant for city commuting"
This is the biggest farce pulled on consumers. Navigating a 940 km road trip across highways, broken village roads, and monsoon downpours was seamless. Modern EV highway touring is not just viable; it is incredibly efficient.
2. "It is too risky to travel with family"
Taking an 82-year-old and a 9-year-old on a long road trip requires absolute reliability. We took sensible stops for the parents to rest, but the car never once left us stranded or sweating over a battery percentage indicator.
3. "They don't deliver real-world efficiency"
To average 8.38 km/kWh across nearly 1,000 kilometres with a fully loaded car, luggage, and continuous air conditioning is phenomenal. On the final night leg through traffic, the regenerative braking system pushed our efficiency to a staggering 10.8 km/kWh. You do not need to roll up your windows or drive like a snail to get incredible range.
4. "EVs are uncomfortable for long journeys"
The exact opposite is true. The complete absence of Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) in an EV cabin reduces physical fatigue drastically. For elderly parents, a four-hour highway stint in a silent, vibration-free cabin is vastly more comfortable than the constant drone and jerky gear shifts of an internal combustion engine.
5. "The charging infrastructure isn't ready"
The infrastructure is there, heavily integrated into routine highway stops. You do not "waste time" waiting for a charge; you simply plug the car in while your family sits down for lunch or a quick snack. While growing pains exist—such as unoptimized charger software or legacy service center staff who still prioritize traditional cars—the network is robust enough to support major intercity routes seamlessly
Finding the Right Teachers
Driving an EV over long distances isn't inherently difficult, but it does require a slight shift in mindset. Navigating the initial corporate ambiguity would have been a nightmare without a genuine sounding board.
Just as Arjuna needed Dronacharya, I found my reassurance in a passionate community of real EV myth-busters and auto analysts. Mentors like Ankush (Ferrari Rules), Doc Farooqi (X Roaders), Suhail (Electree), and Sagar stepped into my feed out of thin air. They provided the practical, real-world education that glossy brochures and clickbait YouTube reviews deliberately leave out.
If you are sitting on the fence about buying an EV for long-distance touring, step away from the online cynicism. The machines are ready, the roads are waiting, and the experience is nothing short of a breath of fresh air
