June was the best-ever month for electric car sales, crossing 30,000 units for the first time. But for a first-time EV buyer on a budget, which is the right model? We tested Tata’s new Tiago EV and MG’s Comet EV to help you pick the right car.
Shape & road presence
The Comet EV is India’s only sub-3-metre, two-door car. It looks like a cube, turns heads, and gets heavily photographed on public roads. While driving in Delhi, it got mixed reactions – some people loved its ease of entry and exit, and others found it weird-looking, saying that it looks like a toy car.
The Tiago EV looks and feels like a regular car. Despite its plasticky front section, it maintains a mature, traditional rear profile and standard hatchback proportions. For buyers who want an everyday EV that merges into the crowd, it seems just the right choice.
Space & practicality
The Comet EV’s two-door layout means rear-seat passengers have to move the front seat, bend down, and somehow make themselves comfortable in a tight space. Even though the cabin looks cool, inspired by Apple devices, a two-door car may not work for many traditional buyers.
The Tiago EV, on the other hand, is a real family vehicle. It has standard four doors, a solid cabin equipped with comfortable fabric inserts, rear AC vents, plenty of cubbyholes, and a wireless dual-phone charger. For those who value cabin space, this car is the real value.
The daily commute
Your budget and commuting habits can help settle the debate. Priced starting at Rs 6.99 lakh upfront (or Rs 4.69 lakh plus Rs 2.6 per km of battery rental), the Tiago EV’s 19.2-kWh, entry-level variant is a steal. Its running costs, when charged at home, would be around Rs 1.5 per km. It handles narrow city lanes with ease, while offering a real-world city range of 170-180 km. If you can stretch your budget to Rs 9.49 lakh, upfront, the 24-kWh Long Range variant is a good choice, and its 200-220 km range can help you drive intercity as well.
The Comet EV, despite being smaller, is expensive, and starts at Rs 7.63 lakh upfront (or Rs 4.99 lakh plus Rs 3.2 per km of battery rental). It’s strictly a city car, with a 17.3-kWh battery, and has a real-world range of 170-180 km with the AC on, and is incredibly cheap to run – just about Rs 1 per km. It is even easier than the Tiago EV to drive around, and can be parked just about anywhere.
The right EV
If you already own a big car and want a cute, easy-to-park cube for running errands, the Comet EV fits the bill. But if you want a true family car with standard space, regular looks, and superior flexibility, the Tata Tiago EV stands out. If judged just on price, the Tiago EV is far better value than the Comet EV.
The SUV alternative
If you want an electric SUV, the new Tata Punch EV can also be considered. Its 30-kWh, entry-level variant is priced at Rs 9.69 lakh upfront (or Rs 6.49 lakh plus Rs 2.6 per km under battery rental), features a flat floor with good space for four adults, and 250-300-km real-world range. Its 40-kWh, top-end variant (Empowered+ S) priced at Rs 12.59 lakh is loaded with features and has more than 350 km of real-world range.
Stepping up your budget: From Windsor to Creta Electric
The MG Windsor’s Excite variant starts at Rs 9.99 lakh plus a battery rental of Rs 3.99 per km, and is a good upgrade from Tiago or Comet EVs in terms of size and features, without a massive jump in price. It is neither a hatchback, nor a sedan, not an SUV. MG calls it CUV (crossover utility vehicle) – a design that combines features of a hatchback, a sedan, and an SUV. Rear seats are not seats, but a big sofa whose backrest can be reclined 135-degree. It’s an attractive option for buyers who need a large cabin and a more commanding road presence, while also keeping running costs low. It’s not for nothing that the Windsor is India’s largest-selling EV.
On July 2, Hyundai India shook up the market by announcing the Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) scheme for the Creta Electric, making this big SUV highly lucrative. Its 42-kWh variant starts at just Rs 10.99 lakh plus a battery rental of Rs 3.9 per km. It has a good range of about 300 km, has a big-car feel, has solid brand value, and drives better than any entry-level EV. The BaaS pricing, introduced a year and a half after the launch of the Creta Electric, is a significant step towards democratising high-end electric mobility by drastically lowering the entry barrier for a premium SUV such as this.
