[MalnadMansha]

I am planning to take Bangalore - Hosur - Krishangiri - Tiruvannamalai - Tindivanam - Pondicherry route tomorrow. Plan is to start around 1.30pm after lunch. Any decent recommendations for a coffee break around 5pm? I may cross Krishnagiri around 3.30 itself, which maybe too early for a coffee break. We may reach Pondicherry around 8.30, just in time for dinner.

[axedrone]

Electric Escape: A Smooth Ride from Bangalore to Pondy

We set out on a journey with my BYD Atto 3 and Kia Carens.
The plan was simple: Bangalore → Krishnagiri → Tiruvannamalai → Gingee → Tindivanam → Pondy, with a few essential stops along the way.

The Journey Begins
We started from Bangalore at 6 AM, cruising through the early morning mist. The roads were in pristine condition, free of potholes, making for a smooth ride.

Pit Stop 1: Breakfast at Krishnagiri A2B

By the time I reached A2B in Krishnagiri, I was ready for a hearty breakfast. Unfortunately, the experience was underwhelming—the food was mediocre, and the service was sluggish despite the place not being crowded. A quick meal later, I was back on the road.
Charging Up at Sri Lakshmi Bhavan, Melchengam

Driving an EV means planning your charging stops carefully. Around Melchengam, We took a quick break at Sri Lakshmi Bhavan to top up at their Statiq charging station. As expected, the app refused to start the session, and I had to call customer care to activate it manually. Left with 20% extra charge, I was ready to hit the road again.
Reaching Auro Bliss Villa

After eight hours on the road, I finally arrived at Auro Bliss Villa around 2 PM. The villa, nestled in Tamil Nadu, offered a quiet retreat, though ongoing construction work and an unfinished swimming pool were minor disappointments.

The Return Journey

After a relaxing stay, it was time to head back. We started at 3:30 PM, retracing the same route back to Bangalore.

Another Charging Stop at Sri Lakshmi Bhavan

A quick 20-minute charging stop at Sri Lakshmi Bhavan ensured I had enough juice for the rest of the journey.

Tea Trouble: No Good Tea Shops Between Tiruvannamalai & Krishnagiri
For tea lovers, a word of caution—there are no decent tea shops along the stretch between Tiruvannamalai and Krishnagiri. If you need a good cup of chai, plan accordingly!

Dinner at Sri Saravana Bhavan

Post Krishnagiri toll, we decided to stop at Sri Saravana Bhavan for dinner. The food here was delicious and well worth the stop.

After a long but comfortable drive, I finally reached home around 11:30 PM.

[shyampsunder]

Originally Posted by axedrone

Driving an EV means planning your charging stops carefully. Around Melchengam, We took a quick break at Sri Lakshmi Bhavan to top up at their Statiq charging station. As expected, the app refused to start the session, and I had to call customer care to activate it manually. Left with 20% extra charge, I was ready to hit the road again.

One piece of advice: Setup autocharge on Zeon, Jio BP, Chargezone and Statiq. I have heard it's hit and miss on Statiq and I have never charged on Statiq but it can be a lifesaver otherwise.

Completely gets rid of anxiety of charging session starting etc. Simply plug in and let the car and charger figure out how to start charging.

In general I like the equipment and restaurants at Zeon. Generally a smooth charging experience.

[axedrone]

Originally Posted by shyampsunder

One piece of advice: Setup autocharge on Zeon, Jio BP, Chargezone and Statiq. I have heard it's hit and miss on Statiq and I have never charged on Statiq but it can be a lifesaver otherwise.

Completely gets rid of anxiety of charging session starting etc. Simply plug in and let the car and charger figure out how to start charging.

In general I like the equipment and restaurants at Zeon. Generally a smooth charging experience.

Statiq auto charge has never worked for me. The charging session starts but stops within a minute and fails to continue. Each time, I have to contact customer care to restart the session. I've encountered this issue multiple times at Bangalore's Whitefield Nexus Mall.

[shyampsunder]

Originally Posted by axedrone

Statiq auto charge has never worked for me. The charging session starts but stops within a minute and fails to continue. Each time, I have to contact customer care to restart the session. I've encountered this issue multiple times at Bangalore's Whitefield Nexus Mall.

Ya I have heard that from so many people. In general, Statiq is something I avoid as far as possible.

[ALTIMAed]

Originally Posted by shyampsunder

Ya I have heard that from so many people. In general, Statiq is something I avoid as far as possible.

Delhi / NCR / Rajasthan, Statiq works wonders and has always been my first choice to charge up. I have their RIFD card. Adani being the worst of the lost. I use Tata Power, at times can be a hit or a miss. Their RIFD card too I have. I just have three apps installed on my phone

eHub by MG
Tata ez power
Statiq

These easily cater to my charging requirements, though I have never used the 'pre booking option'.

[shyampsunder]

Originally Posted by ALTIMAed

Delhi / NCR / Rajasthan, Statiq works wonders and has always been my first choice to charge up. I have their RIFD card. Adani being the worst of the lost. I use Tata Power, at times can be a hit or a miss. Their RIFD card too I have. I just have three apps installed on my phone

eHub by MG
Tata ez power
Statiq

These easily cater to my charging requirements, though I have never used the 'pre booking option'.

I was specifically talking about their autocharge functionality. Yet to meet someone who has reported that it works flawlessly with Statiq.

The aggregator apps sound good in theory but adds needless complexity to an already complex process. The first time I used MG eHub, I was forced to enter how many kWhs I want to charge, load the money for it and then the charger continued to charge way beyond that amount. No stop button, no other way to stop charging. Finally had to use the emergency stop button. I still have aggregator apps to get an idea of the charging network but I would prefer not using them.

I prefer using the CPO apps because the best charging experience is one where you don't have to use the app at the charger which is via Autocharge or worst case RFID.

I use only Zeon, Chargezone, Jio BP, Tata. Have gotten Statiq's RFID as well. Will see how that goes.