Electric Vehicles: a Sign of the Times, or the Future, and which Ones to Get

Electric Vehicles, a Sign of the Times, or the Future, and which Ones to Get

For years touted as slow, unreliable and even more so as inferior to the internal combustion engine, electric vehicles are coming back in a big way as we jump into Q3 of 2017. 2018 Nissan Leaf, 2017 Hyundai Ioniq, the BMW i3, and of course the massively pre-ordered Tesla Model 3, all aim to un-bury the electric car. And to clear consumer minds of the pre-conceived false notions about them.

An electric vehicle has a straightforward working principle; an electric motor, placed at the axle is powered by a battery and drives the front or rear wheels (even both), simple and very effective. Unlike Petrol and Diesel Engines, an electric motor does not have to Rev up to a certain RPM to deliver max torque, (for example a Corolla gives max torque at 4400 RPM) instead they can deliver all of their torque at 1 RPM, giving them incredible acceleration and amazing throttle response. Also, they are completely silent as electric motors do not produce noise, may not be good if replacing the roar of a V8 with it, but rough sounds of Inline-3s and 4s are more than welcome to be gone. One question I hear you asking is RANGE. Electric Vehicles are often plagued with range anxiety (the fear of running out of charge). However modern electric cars have nearly solved the issue, with ranges as big as 400km, more on that later. However, they do suffer from tediously long charge times, which are still a huge multiple of refueling with petrol.

Also Read: Chinese Electric Cars in Pakistan

EVs and urban living are in my opinion, a match made in heaven. These cars give the best range (and thus fuel economy) at low speeds. In stop and go traffic they feel fast and agile (instant electric torque), and since batteries are usually placed down below, and they have no engines, the center of gravity is low, so they handle great too! Also, they have no driveline belts, transmissions, filters, oils, fluids and valve trains, so they require almost no maintenance at all. Modern battery mediums like Lithium-ion and Lithium-Polymer means the batteries are very durable, and there have been (unlike hybrids) little to no cases of battery degradation over time.So if you’re interested in a new car, you owe it to yourself to take a look at an electric car; luckily they fall under the category of 1cc hybrid vehicles, so they are, at the moment free of import duties. As a result, most can be had for cheap. Here are some of the best available EVs you can currently import from Japan; ranked by their range, cost to buy, Rupees per kilometer and estimated yearly fuel savings over a 2017 Toyota Corolla Gli (12-15 km/l; 1 liter of Petrol @70 Rs; Driving 20000Km Yearly; 1 Unit at 12 Rs). You can learn more about importing a car from Japan by clicking here on the link below:

So if you’re interested in a new car, you owe it to yourself to take a look at an electric car; luckily they fall under the category of 1cc hybrid vehicles, so they are, at the moment free of import duties. As a result, most can be had for cheap. Here are some of the best available EVs you can currently import from Japan; ranked by their range, cost to buy, Rupees per kilometer and estimated yearly fuel savings over a 2017 Toyota Corolla Gli (12-15 km/l; 1 liter of Petrol @70 Rs; Driving 20000Km Yearly; 1 Unit at 12 Rs). You can learn more about importing a car from Japan by clicking here on the link below:
https://www.pakwheels.com/blog/you-can-import-a-japanese-car-yourself-by-following-this-step-by-step-procedure/.

2015-2016 Nissan Leaf

• Price: 12-16 Lacs
• Power: 107 HP
• Torque: 255Nm
• Range ~ 200km
• Fuel Economy: 1.44 Rupees/Km or 48.6 Km/l-equivalent
• Estimated Yearly Savings: Rs. 79 000

Nissan Leaf has always been the harbinger of the affordable electric car and for a good reason. Leaf is a 5-door hatchback with an 80KW motor that puts out 107 HP but more importantly, 255 Nm of torque at 1 RPM, more than twice that of a Corolla and significantly more than a 1.5 Turbo Civic, making it feel quite sprightly to drive. 2016 Leaf ‘G’ has Touchscreen infotainment system, Cruise Control, BOSE Premium Audio, 360-Degree Parking Camera, 17-inch Alloys (Pictured Above), takes 4-6 hours to charge on 220V and delivers a range of around 200km as reported by NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). An auction grade 5 Nissan Leaf ‘G’ at around 10000 Km driven, can be had under 16 lacs, lower trims are cheaper still, making it the best value on this list. Fuel Savings of around Rs. 75000 can be expected yearly over a Gli, which can be even more if you take advantage of off-peak rates. The suspension is supple, and the ride is refined and very comfy. However, the leaf has kind of frog-like exterior styling to make it aerodynamic, which is its only downside, aside from the steering being numb.

2015-2017 BMW i3

• Price: 28-35 Lacs
• Power: 170 HP
• Torque: 250 Nm
• Range ~ 200km
• Fuel Economy: 0.93 Rupees/Km or 75.6 Km/l-equivalent
• Estimated Yearly Savings: Rs. 110 000

Yes, the i3 is on the costlier side of the equation, but it is still a great value considering what you get for your money, for 30 Lacs all you get in Pakistan is a TURBO CIVIC! The i3 has unreal performance. The motor makes 170HP and delivers max torque at 1 RPM; the 0-100km/h sprint takes only 6.5 Seconds (Car and Driver). In fact, it is the fastest BMW to go from 0-50km/h (a figure you’re going to use more often), beating even the M3 and i8 on that one benchmark. It is made of lightweight Carbon-fiber and aluminum which means that even though it has a 230kg battery pack, the i3 only weights 1195 kg. The cabin delights with an open interior with BMW’s legendary iDrive infotainment system and a killer build quality. BMW’s i-Remote app for Android and iOS allow you to see the charge level, range, the location of the car and even set the climate control form your phone. 19-inch alloys, Adaptive Cruise Control with ‘Stop and Go’ function, Lane Departure Prevention, Rear Camera and Parking Sensors and EVEN self-Parking are standard.

Whereas leather interior and wooden dashboard trims are optional, the i3 takes 3-4 hours to charge on 220V socket, and for the trouble rewards around a 200km range. An extended warranty which is even valid in Pakistan! Covers Almost every i3 have taken a look at. A range-extender option is available which puts a 660cc petrol engine in the rear, to act as a generator which enables much longer trips. 2016, auction grade ‘5’, base model i3 with a range-extender at around 15000km driven can be imported for under 30 lacs. On the downside the i3’s exterior styling is way overdone, is futuristic but very alienating to some. Out of the factory it only has seating for four, although a straightforward bench seat mod can fix that issue, Otherwise it’s amazing handling (did I tell you it’s Rear-Wheel Drive?), gorgeous interior and remarkable performance, combined with dirt-cheap running costs make it one my favorite cars of all time.

2018 Nissan Leaf

• Price: 25 Lacs (Est.)
• Power: 150 HP
• Torque: 320 Nm
• Range ~ 400km
• Fuel Economy: 1.3 Rupees/Km or 53.8 Km/l-equivalent
• Estimated Yearly Savings: Rs. 80 000

The 2018 Leaf will be a game-changer in the industry with its big range, affordable price, decent power and buckets of torque with excellent driving dynamics, performance and handling as expected of an EV. Pro-Pilot Assist (Adaptive Cruise Control, with Lane departure prevention and self-Parking) is standard. Upper trims offer Android Auto and Apple Carplay (Yay!). And it is also faster and more nimble than the previous Leaf. Also, it has, in my opinion, much less polarizing crossover-like looks and does not scream “I AM ELECTRIC” like the rest. It should go on sale in October of 2017 in Japan, and unfortunately is not expected to arrive on auctions till Q1 of 2018, but you can wait that long it is defiantly worth waiting.
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2019 Tesla Model 3

• Price: 25-30 Lacs (Est.)
• Power: 300 HP
• Torque: TBA Nm
• Range ~ 380km
• Fuel Economy: TBA
• Estimated Yearly Savings: N/A

Yes, the massively pre-ordered Tesla Model 3 does deserve a special mention here. Not a lot is known about this beauty just yet, but it most certainly will revolutionize the concept of an electric car in the minds of the people. Around 400km range, BMW i3-beating performance and amazing looks are what is expected, alongside an affordable price tag. But the arrival time in Japan is rumored to be around 2019-2020, and I highly doubt you will see one in Pakistan before that (Japanese import). If you are interested in one then sorry, over 400,000 preorders need to be delivered before. All-in-all even I don’t expect this one to be seen in my backstreet anytime soon. I don’t know at this point if this is the future, but I’d certainly enjoy it if it were.