Watt2Buy, an independent consumer tool, has been launched in 28 cities across India. It is the country’s first personalised Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) calculator for electric vehicles, providing consumers with insights into the true costs of purchasing EVs and hybrids. Users can compare the TCO for petrol, diesel, CNG, and electric options. The calculator takes into account various factors, including price, budget, driving patterns, electricity and fuel rates, and local incentives that have been notified and implemented.
Developed by Walawalkar Enterprise, a clean-energy advisory firm based in Pune, Watt2Buy is a public-good tool that is free to use, India-specific, well-sourced, and independent of any relationships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The initiative is spearheaded by the founders of Walawalkar Enterprise, who have collectively advised numerous companies, governments, and investors on clean-energy transitions.
Addressing the Flaws
According to Rahul Walawalkar, founder and president of WE LLP, and Netra Walawalkar, co-founder and managing partner at WE LLP, Watt2Buy was created because most EV versus petrol calculators in India are typically developed by dealers, OEM marketing teams, or foreign TCO tools that rely on European assumptions. “They often get two things wrong: they don’t accurately reflect how Indian consumers drive—focused on short city trips and slow adoption of DC charging—nor do they consider how electricity is supplied in India. This includes state-level DISCOM tariffs ranging from ₹3.8 to ₹9.2 per kWh, and grid carbon intensity varying substantially between states like Gujarat and Kerala, not to mention the road-tax waivers that may disappear midway through ownership,” the Walawalkars point out.
Watt2Buy provides personalised answers regarding the total cost of ownership within 60 seconds. The calculator considers details such as the electricity tariff slab, state road tax, state EV subsidies, and local petrol prices. It transcends the initial purchase price, covering fuel costs, maintenance, insurance, road tax, central and state incentives, and real depreciation.
India’s Growing EV Market
The platform was developed by Ashish Kulkarni and his team at Autive.io, with the Net-Zero Energy Transition Association (NETRA) serving as a knowledge partner. At launch, Watt2Buy covers five segments, including hatchbacks, sedans, and SUVs, scooters and motorcycles for personal use, and passenger auto-rickshaws. It also addresses 2W delivery vehicles for gig, food and parcel riders, as well as 3W last-mile cargo delivery vehicles.
Watt2Buy will remain accessible to consumers for free, with no paywalls, registration requirements, or freemium traps. Every Indian buyer will receive the same unbiased answer. The tool will utilise India-specific data sourced from state DISCOMs, state EV policies, state RTO waivers, and Indian bank rates, instead of relying on imported data defaults. The Watt2Buy Score is rule-based and uniformly applied to all vehicles. The platform will not utilise ad technology, tracking cookies, or third-party data sharing.
In FY26, India registered 2.42 million EVs, comprising 1.4 million two-wheelers, 820,000 three-wheelers, 180,000 four-wheelers, 16,000 commercial four-wheelers, and 7,000 buses, resulting in an overall EV penetration of 9.4%. Currently, there are 289 EV models available across all categories and 68,000 public chargers in the charging network. Additionally, battery costs have decreased from ₹13,500 per kWh in 2022 to ₹8,200 per kWh in FY26.