Want to buy an EV but charging it will be an issue at my apartment

Should I just drop the idea of buying the Tata Tiago EV altogether and get a normal Tiago AMT / Punch AMT?

BHPian altimate recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am a software engineer, have never driven a car, staying in Pune in a Rented Flat. Was impressed with the pricing of the Tiago EV. I need a car only for city driving and am not going to do long trips.

I am not sure how I will be able to charge the car at home because not all societies have charging infrastructure in the parking area and there are no 15 amp plug sockets and staying on lower floors is not always possible (for extended wire charging).

I read that you can’t be fast charging at stations all the time and you need to slow charge at home most of the time to preserve battery life. Not sure how true this is.

Now what are my options for charging? Any ideas? Or should I drop the idea of buying an EV altogether and buy a normal Tiago AMT/Punch AMT?

Here’s what GTO had to say about the matter:

In my personal opinion, if you don’t have an EV charger in your residential parking spot, an EV isn’t for you. Period. A 15A power socket is the bare minimum & frankly enough for 99% of EV owners to charge overnight.

Second choice, EV chargers at work where your car is lying idle all day while you are at the office. But then, if you change your employer, you’re in trouble.

As the primary charging option, the public charging infrastructure is simply not there and it’ll be a big hassle. Check out this recent post by a Hyundai Ioniq 5 owner.

“I am in Mumbai and have 3 DC fast chargers in a 2-4 kms radius from my place. 1 Jio BP has been offline for the past 2 weeks. One Tata charger doesn’t work when you need it. Finally found another one in a bus depot that’s newly installed.

I went to Pune 2 weeks ago and same story. Had to spend 2 hours driving around looking for a fast charger since I had to drive back to Bombay the next day. 

However, I am currently in negotiations with the society about getting my home charger installed. They are evaluating the possibility of getting a shared public charger for the society.“

Also, don’t forget that fast charging at public outlets can cost almost as much as your petrol / diesel fuel costs. The players are in it for a profit & the fast charging prices will only rise. In many cities in the USA, fast charging costs are higher than petrol per mile / km.

Tesla – the granddaddy of EVs & the one with the best charging network – also speaks on similar lines.

From their FAQ:

“Do I need to install charging at home if there are Superchargers near me?

Charging where you park is one of the best ways to live with a Tesla and there is no need to travel to get a full charge. We recommend installing a Wall Connector at home or work whenever possible. Superchargers are ideal while on a road trip, or while visiting from out of town, or while home charging is being established.“

Here’s what BHPian dsuman had to say about the matter:

My brother is in a similar situation. He bought a Tiago EV. Stays in a rented apartment on the 3rd Floor. He reached out to the house owner who allowed him to get the wiring done from the 3rd floor to the Parking. He has a dedicated parking. Main Switch is in his home so no chance of misuse. Costed Rs 2000 for wiring, Pipes and Electrician. Tata installed the Fast Charger.

Talk to your house owner and see if he allows getting the wiring done from your house to the parking. Go ahead, you will save a lot with the EV. My brother travels 100kms daily which makes around 3000 km per month and his commute charges are around Rs 800 per month which are only electricity charges.

Here’s what BHPian ritesh_44 had to say about the matter:

Ask your owner / RWA whether it’s possible to extend a wire from your electricity meter to your parking. Some RWA don’t allow it yet but many are forthcoming now. Although would be a pain if a flat you like to rent later, RWA doesn’t allow wiring in parking (I’m facing this currently in Bengaluru).

Slowly more and more societies are either allowing wiring in parking or having a dedicated third-party slow charger (Bolt, Ather neighborhood chargers, etc.) where you can slow charge.

Here’s what BHPian Samurai had to say about the matter:

I have two apartments to consider, and one of them is not even ready to install a common charger, let alone per slot. The other one has a single common charger with 7.2KW capacity, which will take forever to charge.

So EV is not practical for us, and my wife has finally decided not to insist on an EV as her next car.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

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