Petrol vs EV: Which car is best for daily office commuting? Understand with 5 year calculation

Petrol vs EV: Which car is best for daily office commuting? Understand with 5 year calculation

by with No Comment Car Review

Petrol vs Electric Car: Choosing the right car for daily commute is a big decision for every working person. While petrol prices in the country remain around ₹ 100 per litre, on the other hand, electric vehicles (EVs) are attracting everyone's attention with their promise of low running costs. But is buying an EV really beneficial for everyone?

To solve this dilemma, we will understand the complete mathematics of the next 5 years by taking the example of India's most popular compact SUV Tata Nexon and Tata Nexon EV. From this calculation it will become clear to you that which car will be best according to your budget and needs for going to office daily?

Petrol Car vs EV: Daily expense of going to office

Let us assume that your car travels 40 kilometers daily, including the distance from your home to office and weekend travel. According to this, the monthly running of your vehicle will be around 1,200 kilometers and the annual running will be 14,400 kilometers. In 5 years your car will travel a total of 72,000 kilometers.

Tata Nexon Petrol: Its starting on-road price in Delhi starts from around ₹ 8.5 lakh. It gives a mileage of around 14 km/litre in the city. At the rate of ₹100 per liter of petrol, your expenditure on fuel alone in 5 years will be ₹5,14,285.

Tata Nexon EV: The on-road price of its base variant is around ₹ 13.2 lakh. On home charging at the rate of ₹ 8 per unit, this car runs at ₹ 1.1 to ₹ 1.4 per kilometer. In this way, the total cost of charging in 5 years will be only between ₹ 80,000 to ₹ 1,00,000.

5 Year Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

When buying an EV, you have to pay around ₹4 to ₹4.5 lakh more, which is called 'green premium'. Let us see what is the total cost of ownership including 5 years of service, insurance and fuel/charging-

Type of expenditure (5 year estimate) Tata Nexon Tata Nexon EV
Starting On-Road Price (Approx) ₹8,50,000 ₹13,20,000
Fuel/Charging Cost (72,000 km) ₹5,14,285 ₹96,000
Maintenance and service expenses (5 years) ₹60,000 ₹25,000
Insurance (5 years cumulative) ₹90,000 ₹1,25,000
Total Cost (5 Year TCO) ₹15,14,285 ₹15,66,000

Which car will be best for you?

It is clear from the calculation that if your running is 40 kilometers daily (14,000 km annually), then by the completion of 5 years the total cost of petrol and electric car becomes almost equal.

Electric car is best when: If your daily commute to office is more than 50 kilometers. In this situation, the EV will recover its extra cost (Break-even) in just 3.5 to 4 years and after that your huge savings will start. Also, one can enjoy silent and smooth driving without changing gears in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Petrol car is best when: If your daily running is less than 20-30 kilometers. In such a situation, it will take 7-8 years to recover the increased price of EV, which will be a loss-making deal. Apart from this, if there is no space for charging setup in your apartment, then petrol car is the most practical option for you.

Source link

How profitable is it to buy an EV with BaaS program? Understand with 5 year calculation

How profitable is it to buy an EV with BaaS program? Understand with 5 year calculation

by with No Comment Car Review

At present, one of the biggest questions arises while buying an electric car. Lease the battery (BaaS) or buy the entire vehicle including battery? This debate has become more heated with the availability of BaaS option in vehicles like Tata Punch EV, MG Windsor EV and Maruti e-Vitara. In BaaS, the upfront cost is reduced by 30-40 percent, but there is a battery fee for every km.

This scheme was first started by MG with Windsor EV. In such a situation, it is very important to know whether it is better to buy the vehicle with battery, or whether it will be more profitable to bring it home with BaaS. Let us understand from realistic calculations of 5 years which option can be better for the average Indian user (12,000 km annually). You will also learn about this scheme.

What is BaaS and how does it work?

In Battery as a Service (BaaS), you buy the car's chassis+motor+features and take the battery on rent. Repair, degradation, replacement and warranty of the battery is the sole responsibility of the company. This has been launched for the first time in Tata Punch EV. MG and Maruti are also running on this model. Talking about benefits, there is low down payment, easy EMI and zero tension on battery. However, on longer journeys or more kilometers the total cost may increase.

Buy or rent batteries?

Now let's look at both the calculations. We have taken the recently launched Punch EV as an example. It is assumed that after purchasing the car, the user will drive it for 12 thousand kilometers every year. In such a situation, whose expenses will be more? The one who buys the battery or the one who rents the battery? Come, let us know.

With BaaS option

  • Upfront cost: ₹6.49 lakh
  • Battery Rental Fee: ₹2.6 × 60,000 = ₹1.56 lakh
  • Electricity expenses: ₹1.5 per km × 60,000 = ₹0.90 lakh (from home charge)
  • Maintenance (tyres, brakes, service): ₹0.20 lakh (much less in EV)
  • Total cost over 5 years: ₹9.15 lakh (including vehicle price)

Full Ownership

  • Upfront cost: ₹9.69 lakh
  • Electricity expenses: ₹0.90 lakh
  • Maintenance: ₹0.20 lakh
  • Total cost in 5 years: ₹10.79 lakh (including vehicle price)

Who is the winner?

BaaS will save ₹1.64 lakh in 5 years. The break-even point is around 1,23,000 km. This means that for someone who drives an average of 12,000 km/year, the fees will be equalized only after 10 years. In 5 years, BaaS clearly wins.

Benefits of BaaS

  • Low EMI: The EMI of a car priced at ₹ 6.49 lakh will be ₹ 12-13 thousand/month, while that of a car priced at ₹ 9.69 lakh will be ₹ 18-20 thousand.
  • No battery tension: The company will have to worry about degradation, overheating or replacement after 8 years.
  • Flexible: If the vehicle runs less, then the fees will also have to be paid less.
  • Resale Value: Some financiers give the option to buy the battery after 3-5 years.

Benefits of buying a complete battery

  • After 1.23 lakh km, every additional km will be free.
  • The battery will remain yours. You will get better price in resale.
  • Lifetime warranty (first honor) will be available in 40 kWh variant.

Which is better for whom?

If you are an average user (10,000-15,000 km/year), drive in the city and plan to change your vehicle in 5-7 years, then BaaS would be the best option. Low upfront, low monthly expenses and no battery tension. At the same time, if there is going to be more traffic on the highway. If the car will drive more than 20,000 km/year and you plan to keep it for 8-10 years, then it would be better to buy a car with a full battery.

urgent matter: This calculation is based on the introductory ex-showroom price of Tata Punch EV in February 2026, home charging and average usage. Local taxes, insurance and charging tariffs may vary. Further savings will be possible through solar charging. You should choose the car according to your budget and needs.

Source link