KEEPING IT REAL

Is India ready for EVs? Are we ready for EVs? We spend a month with the Kona Electric to find out

- AATISH MISHRA

I HAVE DRIVEN ELECTRIC CARS BEFORE but, weirdly, only at a racetrack. It’s about as natural as taking a hang glider to a dogfight, especially considering both the electric cars were primarily designed as city runabouts. Electrics, sure, have the accelerative power to shrink apex to exit to nothing but that’s not why you buy an EV, do you?

Which brings me to the point of this story. I needed to drive and experience an EV in its natural environment, on streets that regular people who buy them would drive them on, and most of all discover if an EV adds or reduces the stress of daily life. So here’s a story that involved fitness trackers, a friend’s bungalow, and dogs. I promise you there’s a story here.

Question 1: Does it get you attention?

Priorities. I wanted to know if an electric car was capable of showboating. More specifically, I was interested in was whether it would indulge my peacocking to get the attention from the fairer sex. So I took to Tinder. I’ve seen plenty of men upload pictures of themselves in symbols of masculinity and alpha-ness, G-Wagens and Mustangs (and how do you know that? — Ed), all in the hope that this would impress women. Could an electric car do the same?

I hypothesised that the Kona Electric would represent my progressive thinking. It would showcase my awareness for the issues this planet was facing. It would show my willingness to take charge of and create change in my immediate vicinity. I’m no expert but I’d like to think that women dig that sort of thing.