New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Widespread misconceptions about the benefits of EV ownership remain a barrier in India's transition to electric mobility despite strong awareness of electric vehicles (EVs) as a category,
according to a new nationwide study conducted by Ola Electric.
The study reveals that while pure play EV manufacturers enjoy brand recall, a majority of consumers significantly underestimate the economic and functional advantages of EVs.
Most respondents believe electric two-wheelers are only 20-50 per cent cheaper to run than petrol vehicles, whereas real-world data shows that EV running costs can be up to 90 per cent lower depending on cell tech, fundamentally altering the economics of daily mobility.
The study highlights that range anxiety and long-term confidence, rather than upfront cost, are the primary barriers to EV adoption.
A majority of consumers believe EV range is limited to 100-150 km, even though some electric scooters and motorcycles from leading manufacturers deliver a range of up to 300 km, and up to 500 km on a single charge, respectively, it said.
However, awareness around the performance and range of EVs remains poorly understood across the nation.
"Importantly, these belief gaps persist deep into the category. Even consumers actively considering an EV continue to underestimate both range and savings, indicating that misinformation is not limited to early-stage awareness, but remains unresolved until the point of purchase," it said.
The findings point to a critical work required in how the EV category has grown in India, from being perceived as "slightly cheaper alternatives" to petrol vehicles with risk in longevity, to being understood as a structurally superior mobility solution with dramatically lower running costs, longer real-world range, and engineered reliability.
It is critical to understand that quality of living aspects like AQI are possible only with large-scale EV adoption, the study noted.
In order to address these belief gaps, the study highlighted the need for EV manufacturers to double down on category building across all consumer touchpoints, from advertising and retail experiences to ownership and service communication. PTI MKT BAL
BAL
