51% Indian EV Car Owners Want to Go back to Petrol or Diesel Cars
According to a recent Park+ survey, 51% of Indian EV car owners expressed a desire to return to internal combustion engine (ICE) - petrol & diesel vehicles.
Electric Vehicles (EVs) have gained massive popularity in the past three years. With growing concerns about pollution and climate change, many people saw EVs as a better and more sustainable option compared to petrol, diesel, or CNG vehicles. However, despite the initial excitement, the demand for EVs seems to be declining.
A recent survey by Park+, an online platform that helps users find parking, recharge FASTags, and more, reveals some surprising results. The study involved 500 EV owners from Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bangalore, and it found that 51% of Indian EV car owners are now thinking about switching back to petrol or diesel vehicles.
Here are the main reasons behind this shift:
Charging Anxiety
Many EV owners feel stressed about finding charging stations. Even though there are more than 20,000 EV charging stations across India, they are not always easy to find or access. This issue has made most EV owners hesitant to travel more than 50 kilometers from their home, limiting their mobility and convenience.
Range Anxiety
Another major concern is "range anxiety." This is the fear that the EV’s battery might run out of power before reaching a destination or a charging station. While this concern is more psychological than technical, it has spread quickly among EV owners through word-of-mouth, causing many to doubt the reliability of their electric cars.
High Maintenance Costs
EV owners also pointed out that maintaining an electric vehicle is more expensive than maintaining a petrol or diesel vehicle. Many find their EVs difficult to understand, and local mechanics often can’t fix minor issues. With fewer repair options available, EV owners are forced to pay high prices for repairs and services, often without a clear understanding of what’s being done. This has also negatively impacted the resale value of EVs, with over 33% of surveyed owners reporting much lower than expected resale quotes.
These challenges are reflected in the sales numbers as well. According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), only 91,000 EVs were sold in the financial year 2023-24.
This trend is not limited to India. A similar survey by McKinsey & Co., an international strategy and consultancy firm, found that 46% of Americans and 29% of EV owners worldwide want to return to petrol or diesel vehicles.
So, is this the beginning of the end for EVs, or just a temporary setback? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
