It is 2024. There are many fuel options. Choosing a new car can be confusing, and which fuel type to choose is another confusion point for buyers. There are so many options today, that the Indian car buyer is spoiled for choice. Every customer is different, and everyone has different requirements, so there can be a lot of confusion as to what should be the ideal fuel to use. I am here to clear that confusion, and will tell you the pros and cons of each fuel type and for what application it is best.
1. Petrol-Good old petrol! The simplest and most no-nonsense fuel choice. The pros are that everyone knows how to work on a petrol car and they are reliable. You can count on them to start and run, no matter what, even if you have kept it for 3 months and suddenly started it and then went for an intense long drive, or sitting in city traffic. If you want a car that has character and is fun to drive (hello car enthusiasts), chances are it has a petrol engine. If you want something that’s versatile and the fuel for which is available even in the most remote locations, petrol is the one to vouch for. The cons are that you might not always get the best fuel economy, and if you are driving a bit enthusiastically, the fuel economy will drop like the stock market does sometimes. Also, turbo-petrol engines are slightly high on maintenance. Not to mention the rising cost of petrol. If you want a car that’s reliable, the fuel for which is available everywhere, a car that can do city, highway and touring effortlessly, a car that you might not always run and run infrequently, a car that will always have your back, no matter what, and a car that you might occasionally drive enthusiastically, petrol is the pick for you.
2. Electric Vehicles-Electric vehicles are getting more common these days. And that’s for a reason. Instant torque, amazing performance, quiet cabin, easier to drive (because no gearbox, clutch, or shifting gears) and now the range is getting better, not to mention the fact that there are far less components in an electric vehicle, no tailpipe emissions, and you can regain some range back by regenerative braking, by which your brakes are under-stressed. Also, the battery pack and motor are lower to the ground, which gives EVs lower center of gravity, so better handling and lesser chances of the car rolling over. So, what’s the catch? The initial purchase cost is expensive, and you might have to run 200 km/day to make up for it. The range might not always be good, so it varies, and can go down in our tough driving conditions. Steep inclines, highway driving, and enthusiastic driving (also keeping the A/C on full blast and using ventilated seats) deplete a lot of range. The charging infrastructure, though quite good, is still not up to the mark, so you will have to plan your trip well. Driving on low range in some cars will be a bit difficult as A/C might turn off, and the car might get slower. But the catch is that EVs give really good range in city traffic and if you cruise in a relaxed fashion at or below the speed limit on the highway. Not to mention that you can charge an EV for free at your home (don’t worry, it won’t affect your electricity bill significantly, and fast charging is an option). However, charging fast isn’t always an option and you might not always be able to install the charger at home. So, if you have a lot of daily city traffic running, have a lot of running in general, don’t mind driving calmly, want a quiet cabin, or just are an enthusiast who drives in traffic and loves launching and aggressively accelerating, then EVs are for you. For daily-drivers, not paying the hefty price for petrol is quite the relief.
3. CNG-Petrol too expensive? EV initial purchase cost too much for you? Still want to rev your petrol engine and bang through the gears of a manual gearbox? Wanna keep emissions slightly lower? Have a lot of running and want to keep running costs low? Most importantly, want good fuel economy? Fear not! CNG is there for you. The catch? You might want to reconsider what your use is because boot space will be at a premium, maintenance is a ritual that must be followed otherwise you will face engine problems, reliability issues plague CNGs beyond 1 lakh kilometers, and you might either struggle to find a CNG pump or if you live in cities like Mumbai, you will have to wait in a long queue, and also, there is a roughly 10 percent decrease in power when you switch from petrol to CNG, and going up a steep slope or a hill will be tough because the engine bogs down. CNGs also tend to overheat. However, if I am being honest, I appreciate CNG and I think that it is a good solution, a cleaner replacement to diesel as well.
4. Diesel-The most controversial topic in the automotive industry today, after EVs, of course. Thanks to Volkswagen, the Diesel-gate scandal and the events that have followed have given diesel a bad name. A bad reputation, that, very frankly, it doesn’t deserve. Diesels are amazing if you want torque, a fuel cost lower than petrol, and really good fuel economy. Are you a driving enthusiast? Do you want to cane the engine but still get good fuel economy? The torque entertaining enough for you? Then there is no replacement for a good diesel. The catch? Modern diesels have to be maintained carefully because of Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) issues, so you will have to have a lot of highway high-speed running to keep the DPF clean and justify that purchase. Old diesels (BS4 or earlier) might become illegal and you will have to get rid of them soon. Also, the stance that most governments of the world including ours, is taking against diesel, makes it apparent that diesels aren’t unfortunately going to be here for long. Now, that’s sad. If you have a lot of highway, city, outstation, and high-speed running, or if you are an off-roader, then there is still nothing quite like a diesel to get the job done. Like petrol, you can find it almost everywhere, probably even in Ladakh.
5. Hybrid-Last, but not the least, hybrids. What is a hybrid? It is a petrol engine, combined with an electric motor. It combines the benefits of both, a petrol engine and an electric motor, so that you get the best of both worlds. The electric motor gives you a quiet cabin, instant acceleration, and smooth performance. The petrol engine, charges the electric motor, and operates only to charge the motor and when the speed increases, or for occasional bursts of power. So, what do you get? No tailpipe emissions at city speeds, because the engine is off and electric motor is running, additional acceleration because of the electric motor, and ridiculous fuel efficiency. So, you are contributing to the environment by being cleaner than a traditional Internal Combustion Engine, and you are saving your wallet by getting good fuel efficiency. The catch? Hybrids do not get the tax benefits from the Indian Government even though they deserve it, Hybrids have high initial purchase cost and since they are a bit complex, the maintenance cost might be a bit higher than normal. So, if you can afford the premium, this is a good solution.
