The global desire and necessity to lessen the effects of internal combustion engines on global warming are the main factors driving the healthy growth of the electric vehicle (EV) market.
There is no question that EV technology will dominate two-wheelers as the primary means of transportation in the next few years.
The EV sales data is more than enough to say how actively consumers are switching to electric scooters in India. Many buyers of two-wheelers switched from Internal Combustion engines (ICE) powered to electric scooters. However, if you are having trouble deciding between an ICE and an electric scooter, you should look at this analysis. 10 reasons you should buy an electric scooter? In this article, we will understand the total cost of ownership of electric scooters compared to the ICE scooters.
Total Cost of Ownership of electric scooters and ICE scooters
Price of per kilometer ride
The most significant benefit of an EV is that it shields you from the horrors of rising fuel costs. Electric vehicles, especially electric scooters, are far too affordable than petrol vehicles. Every day that goes by, the price of fuel increases dramatically. After a while, this amount may eventually equal or exceed the amount you originally paid for the scooter.
An electric scooter is significantly more cost-effective because electricity costs much less per unit than petrol. Take an electric scooter with a 2.5 kWh battery pack as an example. In Delhi, the cost of one kilowatt-hour of power is about Rs. 3. Therefore, a single charge for a typical electric scooter will only cost around Rs. 7–10. If your electric scooter gives you a range of 80 kilometers, then the per-kilometer ride will cost you equal to or less than 1 rupee.
Cost of Maintenance
A system with more moving components will wear out faster, requiring frequent maintenance procedures. A petrol scooter has more moving parts than an electric scooter due to the mechanical internal combustion engine and other components. These components are more vulnerable to abrasive wear and may occasionally need to be replaced. On the other hand, there are fewer parts to worry about with an electric scooter. Therefore, compared to an ICE scooter, maintaining an electric scooter is more accessible and less expensive.
Charging Stations and Fuel Stations
The absence of a comprehensive charging infrastructure network is a significant reason many are still wary of acquiring an EV, unlike a traditional petrol station, which you can locate approximately every five kilometers in an urban area. You will rarely find an electric charging station nearby if you currently own an electric scooter and it runs out of battery in the middle of a trip.
While there are now more EV charging stations in places like the metro and tier-1 cities, there are still very few of them in the area. However, you will have an option to utilize the charging device that comes with the scooter, and make sure to keep the battery levels high enough for your daily trip.
Range of the vehicle
Range anxiety is a real problem with EVs, especially electric two-wheelers. Compared to electric automobiles, electric two-wheelers do not have the space for large, high-capacity batteries needed for a long-riding range. The present scope of electric scooters available in India is only 60–80 kilometers. The content of an electric scooter does not give you much confidence for regular journeys compared to an ICE scooter, which can provide you with a range of 150–200 km on a full tank. Therefore, understand how far you commute daily before deciding between an electric scooter and an ICE scooter.
Conclusion:
The price of fuel, per kilometer ride, and maintenance define the total cost of ownership. Even if we just take the case of per-kilometer ride and fuel price, owning an electric scooter makes more sense than the ICE vehicles. It’s more economical. We hope you can now decide why owning an electric scooter makes more sense than an ICE one.
At Vegh Automobiles, we manufacture Vegh L25 and Vegh S25, which are among the best electric scooters for the city commute.
