Should you buy an electric car? Five crucial questions you need to ask yourself

Electric cars are quite the rage across the globe with more and more manufacturers ready to offer more and more battery-powered models. The promise of zero tail-pipe emissions is good but what's really tempting is the significantly lower running and maintenance costs in most cases. But for all the perceived and established benefits of zooming in and out of an electric vehicle (EV), should you be investing your hard-earned money into one?

The rise and spread of EVs is inevitable. Almost every manufacturer of repute either has at least one electric offering or plans to roll out a model in the coming times. EVs are the superheroes but it may be unjustified - and too early - to label conventional cars with engines as villains. Governments across the world are looking to quicken EV adoption and there's enough reason to see just why. But even as China leads the pack and the likes of the US, European countries as well as India follow, is now a great time to buy an EV?

Also watch: Tata Nexon EV Max Highway Drive Review

Here are five crucial factors to consider before investing in an EV, especially if you are in India:

How is the public charging infrastructure?

Fuel stations are peppered across global roads but these haven't cropped up in just a quick bolt of time. The birth and spread of conventional cars has been across decades and supporting infrastructure has taken its own time to grow as well. It is more than likely that this will be the case for EVs and supporting charging infrastructure as well.

The advantage of an EV is that one can plug it in at homes and in office spaces on a regular basis for a recharge which is not possible with a petrol or diesel-powered vehicle. The disadvantage? Charging an EV will take several hours unlike a quick trip to the gas station which usually lasts just a couple of minutes.

What is the cost of acquisition?

EVs are still significantly more expensive than petrol or diesel-powered cars. Many governments offer quite a number of incentives and subsidies but the fact of the matter is that battery-powered options remain a costly proposition upfront. Cost of purchase may be coming down at all times but at present, it remains noticeably higher than internal combustion engine (ICE) models.

Should you pay big bucks for an EV? This would largely depend on how much daily or weekly or even monthly driving distance you cover. The more you drive, the more sense it would make for an EV purchase. But do keep in mind that the number of options among EVs are also far fewer when compared to ICE models.

Do you have another car at home?

Who does not like a carefree road trip? But road trip in an EV? Be prepared to plan and plan well.

Owning an EV may be a green statement but batteries have their limitations. EVs sure can sprint but can they do marathon runs? Till the time public charging infrastructure improves drastically, long road trips may not be for EV owners unless of course, they have at least one other ICE model to rely on.

What are the other mobility options available?

You want to drive your car but should you? Is there a robust mass-transit option nearby? Is your daily commute just a short jog away? Won't carpooling be more convenient? Every individual is different and so will be his or her requirements.

What is the resale value for your EV?

For the budget-conscious buyer, it is important to assess what the resale value of an electric car would be. At present, no one really knows how much a pre-owned EV should sell for, even if many do claim to have answers. The pool of EVs available in various pre-owned car markets is still minuscule. Plus there is the big question about battery degradation over a prolonged period of use. Would you buy a pre-owned mobile with potential battery issues? Similar considerations may be at play in the pre-owned EV segment despite manufacturers offering anywhere between five to 10 years of warranty on battery packs alone.