Conventional cars of today have adverse effects on the environment with their greenhouse emissions majorly affecting the environment, especially in terms of air pollution. With the increasing environmental awareness, eco-friendly cars are slowly gaining a considerable market in the Indian scenario. Major companies have started producing green cars in India, to make the most of this awareness program.
Electric cars, which can also be categories under green cars in India, are characterised by zero carbon emission, which makes them the most environmentally friendly cars of the lot. These cars are powered by an electric motor which is operated by batteries, which require frequent charging for efficient operation just like fuel powered cars need to be refuelled at regular intervals. They have a battery power range of about 160 km with a 70 km/hour speed limit which is definitely not as impressive as conventional cars but improvements are being made. Somewhat more efficient are the hybrid cars which incorporate characteristics of both fuel cars and electric cars.
The cars are powered by electricity at low speed while petrol or diesel is used for higher speeds which ensure lower carbon emission and fuel expenditure. Some popular eco-friendly cars in India are Mahindra Reva, Toyota Prius, Maruti Suzuki Eco Charge, Chevrolet Aveo and Beat and Tata Nano CNG emax. However, the problem with hybrid cars is that they cost far more than their standard versions. They also have a high curb weight which hinders the performance. More than anything else, the biggest disadvantage lies in the fact that the batteries discharge way too quickly during the winter season and fuel mileage is also reduced considerably.
In the Indian market mileage is the chief component which decides the demand for a particular car. People from all sections and strata of society tend to seek budget cars which have high fuel efficiency and are easier to maintain in the long run. As a result people tend to prefer diesel cars these days over petrol cars, because of the higher mileage. As off today Honda City diesel, Honda Amaze diesel, Chevrolet beat diesel, Tata Nano, Hyundai Grand i10 diesel are some well-known affordable cars in India which are definitely worth the money.
If we study the overall situation then electric cars and hybrid cars definitely score high in terms of their low maintenance, with no requirement to lubricate the engines. They are also cost effective because with the surging prices of petrol and diesel, it is always more prudent to buy an expensive electric car than a low cost fuel car which requires high maintenance and expenditure of diesel or petrol.
