[sri_tesla]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

Is that Special Tariff any lower?

Yes. BESCOM rate for EV charging is Rs 4.85 per unit (kWh) while the regular tariff is Rs 7.8 for 200+ units.

[docsr]

Originally Posted by pkirwadi

I`m getting mine delivered, hopefully by this weekend. I`m going with a new meter installation in my apartment, with a special tariff from BESCOM for EV charging purposes, that comes under LT-6(c). This is going to be a 3 phase meter with a sanctioned load of 7.5 KW. My existing meter, being a single phase one, was not recommended by the folks who came for inspection.

This is really useful information pariwadi. Thank you. Let us know how you get along.

[pkirwadi]

Originally Posted by sri_tesla

Yes. BESCOM rate for EV charging is Rs 4.85 per unit (kWh) while the regular tariff is Rs 7.8 for 200+ units.

Its now slightly increased to a flat rate of Rs 5/kWh + Rs 60 fixed charges. Check the attachment, page 322 in particular.

[DarthVeda]

5 rupees per unit is really low, when compared to the unit charges at higher slabs. However, this has me perplexed "Rs.60 /KW/month" it says per Kw. You would be taken 7kw, does that mean 420 rupees fixed charges?

[sheldon.dz]

awesome review! being a Kona owner i can say that all points are spot on.

After driving the Kona multiple times from Pune to Mumbai in the last month, i agree with the ground clearance and the bumpy rides. One of the biggest -ve points I find in the car is the bumpy ride even on small potholes. Have also scraped a few bumps on these roads.

Being frugal (long distances) with climate control can save you a lot of battery. Turning on climate control you can see a good drop of 15-20 km in the range. I tried this while driving to Mumbai, leaving early morning can save quite a few km with AC off.

Regarding battery installation, the Allianz team did not charge anything.

[sheldon.dz]

A private group called Magenta power has started setting up AC/DC charging stations on Pune Mumbai expressway and Pune Bangalore highwa. I had visited their DC charging station in turbhe, while travelling to Mumbai.

[DarthVeda]

To all those worried about crash test and catching fire and what nots, the Kona has been crash tested and got 5 stars.
https://thedriven.io/2019/10/30/hyun...ns-five-stars/

[Sebring]

I'm curious about this. Does this mean the lithium ion batteries wont catch fire when deformed or when under impact? It's not the chassis safety per se, that worried most of us - just the battery, especially after the July 2019 blast in Canada.

Originally Posted by DarthVeda

To all those worried about crash test and catching fire and what nots, the Kona has been crash tested and got 5 stars

[coolkurt]

Originally Posted by Sebring

I'm curious about this. Does this mean the lithium ion batteries wont catch fire when deformed or when under impact?

The entire debate about electric cars being a fire hazard is pointless. Let's take the example of the Teslas that caught fire. All of the fires were the result of drivers running over roadway debris that directly damaged the battery cells, but no one in the vehicles was injured in any of the accidents. In fact, later data supported the conclusion that had the same roadway debris struck a vehicle without the battery cells and their aluminum plate protective covering, then the occupants of the vehicle most likely would have been badly injured or even killed by debris piercing the floorboard of the car.

When compared to the flammability of conventional fuels, Li-ion batteries pose a far lower risk of fire or explosions. In cases of vehicular fires that were the result of damaged Li-ion batteries, the fire was limited to the area where the batteries were contained before it could be extinguished.

In fact, more than a collision, the major issue with Li-ion battery cells is that they can generate enough heat, sometimes during their normal operation and at other times due to short-circuit or external damage, to cause a reaction known as “thermal runaway.”

However, to address the issue, the vehicle’s batteries are typically surrounded by a protective cooling shroud filled with chilled liquid coolant from a traditional-style automotive radiator. Which is why we are seeing a standard coolant bottle in all of the pics of the engine bay of electric test mules. In the event the batteries do overheat despite their external cooling, batteries in all models of electric vehicles are installed in an array rather than as one large battery pack. These battery clusters are further divided by firewalls that limit the amount of damage each is capable of causing if it were to malfunction.

Bottomline, the batteries are safe. And in future, we'll probably get solid state batteries which don't rely on electrolytes so the risk of a fire is further mitigated.

[Sebring]

Thank you for your patient reply, you have me convinced. Just one last question - if you see the KONA NCAP testing, the bottom isn't stressed. Do they hit the floorboard where batteries lie & should they modify tests for Electric Vehicles? Just playing the devil's advocate here.

Originally Posted by coolkurt

When compared to the flammability of conventional fuels, Li-ion batteries pose a far lower risk of fire or explosions. In cases of vehicular fires that were the result of damaged Li-ion batteries, the fire was limited to the area where the batteries were contained before it could be extinguished. firewalls that limit the amount of damage each is capable of causing if it were to malfunction.

[coolkurt]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Do they hit the floorboard where batteries lie & should they modify tests for Electric Vehicles? Just playing the devil's advocate here.

The batteries are usually completely enclosed in the battery case and integrated in the vehicle to protect the battery from all conceivable stresses and external influences. This “armour” has an effect on construction, weight, size and overall design of the vehicle.

But your observation is correct. The crash test in itself isn't specifically tailor made for electric vehicles. Too little research has been done into the behaviour of battery components under crash conditions.

I've driven in countries like Italy where the tarmac is smooth and barely any speed breakers or broken roads. Electric cars being tested there will pass with flying colors.

In India , the risk of an impact from below is high. A friend's Honda City got hit from below rupturing the engine oil pan and draining all the engine oil risking engine seizure. There's a team bhp thread about the same issue which you can read here (Underbody Hit & Cracked Sump : Implications, Vulnerabilities, Responsibilities).If you see the battery placement on the Kona, it eats into the ground clearance substantially as the battery pack hangs below the floor sails, thereby also at a higher risk for underbody impact. There is some protection though but it's something which will be tested. It remains to be seen what's the battery placement on the MG ZS EV.

I'm sure that the cars have been tested in Indian conditions but I do feel the early adopters will be guinea pigs as far as this aspect is concerned. India specific problems owing to road conditions, extreme weather and lack of knowledge about EVs are just around the corner.

[Sebring]

Speed breakers in Bangalore are 'bottom breakers'. I was on a site visit in the Eon and came across a 'mammoth mountain like' speed breaker near Ramanagara (outskirts), couldn't avoid it on time though speed was at 60 Kmph, and there was a thunderous sound with the bottom ripped off and suspension hanging. Being a Sunday, I was apprehensive of being attended to - but Hyundai promptly rescued me from that situation in no time. The guy was shocked at the amount of damage caused. This incident remains in my memory, so the apprehension.

[DarthVeda]

Unfortunately, those type of speed breakers are built by idiots who think bigger the speed bump slower the vehicles and safer it is, what they don't get is the damage it can cause when a speeding car encounters it. Most of these hazards are not even marked nor is there any board indicating that it exists ahead. I can see the view of the locals though, vehicles traveling on highways have little regard for villages or towns and plow through them as if it doesn't exist.

[sheldon.dz]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

I'd like to understand what would happen in case of an accident. Will the battery pack be covered under insurance in case of damage? What about water damage to the system? We've all experienced water damage on our mobile phones at some point. Is something on the lines of hydrolock protection available for electric cars?

Well there is protection for sure against water, as my car survived the floods in Pune. Our society basement was completely submerged and 35 cars were destroyed. I was one of the lucky ones to reach down in time to take it out, the water level had reached the bottom of the door.

[pkirwadi]

Just came back from an incredible trip, covering around 365 Kms in one single charge !! Started from Basavanagudi, Bangalore around 5 pm, on a Friday evening, reached Mysore around 8:30 pm, drove to Chamundi hills the next morning and drove liberally around Mysore city for about 70 odd Kms, mainly by my folks who were so eager to drive Kona. Started back to Bangalore around 5 AM today, reached home with still 25 Kms worth of range and battery state was at 5%. Climate/AC was ON throughout the trip, did not exceed 80 Km/h. Checkout the attached pics.

EV consumption: 10.1 km/kWh