Is Monsoon a bummer for EV revolution: Facts and Myths

India is the 5^th largest car market in the world. In the coming years it will become 3^rd largest with more than 400 million people in need of mobility solutions by the end of this decade. The steady increase in demand is leading towards increased carbon emission through diesel run vehicles. Where the cost of crude oil is increasing day by day, there is an immediate need for mass adoption for the alternate solution - Electric Vehicles(EV).

In recent times, the only alternative to these traditional vehicles are EVs, to which even the government is pushing. As referred to the target, by 2030 the Electric Vehicle penetration must be raised by 40% in buses, 70% in commercial vehicles, 30% in private cars, and 80% in 2-3 wheelers. To accomplish this target, the GST on EV is reduced by 12% to 5% and subsidiaries are provided to the manufactures. EVs are the clear future of transportation not only in India but across the world. 

In the past few years, EV has gained prominence in the automotive sector and it will not be long before they become more established. While the EV segment is still at a nascent stage, India’s EV market is evolving rapidly. Adoption has seen a significant uptick. Nonetheless, there still seem to be some myths about their capabilities, especially when it comes to their immunity against rainy weather. As the monsoon approaches, the actual question is - Is Monsoon a bummer for EV revolution?

We have seen there are quite a few myths about EV and their performance during monsoon. The pointers below will help in bursting these common myths.

Myth 1: Waterlogged areas are not safe for EV

EV has an Ingress Protection(IP) system. Modern-day Electric vehicle batteries have an IP67 rating which allows you to submerge the vehicle in water up to one metre for up to 30 mins without any leakage. Thus, in a situation where the car needs to encounter a water logging situation which is usually about 300 mm in depth one does not have to worry about damage to the terminals, connectors and high voltage architecture of the vehicle. All systems, inside the battery pack, have multiple layers of protective cutoffs that activate at the first sign of water ingress. The main battery pack also has the ability to isolate itself electrically from the rest of the car.

Myth 2: Lightning will damage your EV and is dangerous for EV

People worry about the effect that lightning would have on EV. However, one is actually more safe when they are inside a car during lighting. The rationale behind this is, that when a bolt of lightning hits a car, it hits the exterior which is a metallic surface. Electric car charging systems are designed to be weatherproof and can be safely used even when there’s lightning (they are shock-resistant).EVs are less prone to any damages in case lightning strikes.

Myth 3: Charging an EV during rain is dangerous

People fear charging their EV in the rain because we all know that water is a great conductor of electricity. But Electric vehicles are purposefully engineered to withstand rain, water intrusion, pesky dust particles that could wreak havoc on an electric system. Electric vehicle chargers are also rigorously tested and have to meet certain standard safety norms. That said, the only thing to be cautious about are the open charges in rain, the physical charges can be damaged in rain. EV can be easily charged during rain, however the charging socket should be designated inside EV or must be covered.

Myth 4: Use of ancillary components during monsoon will hamper the range of EV

An EV generally will not consume a lot of battery when using ancillary components like AC, lights, etc. Thus, in the monsoon, the use of windscreen wipers, defoggers or even head/tail lamps will not drastically impact the range of an EV.. The consumptions from these ancillaries is already factored in while installing the battery pack.

All said, India’s EV revolution should not be affected by lack of knowledge. The country's EV market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 90% in this decade to touch $150 billion by 2030, according to a report by RBSA Advisor. India's shift to shared, electric and connected mobility could help the country save nearly one giga-tonne of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030.

The article is written by Prasad Sreeram, CEO & Co-Founder, COGOS