Going electric: Kashmir becomes hotspot destination for long-distance EV car rallies

Srinagar, Feb 28: With deeper penetration of electric vehicles (EVs) on roads across all states, various initiatives at the forefront to encourage alternate clean fuel, have of late witnessed Kashmir becoming the starting or culminating point for several long-distance EV car rallies.

The latest such rally is that of TATA.ev, India’s largest 4-wheeler EV manufacturer, recorded the fastest EV drive from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in only 76 hours and 35 minutes.

As per a company spokesperson, this feat is over 19 hours less than the incumbent record holder, the erstwhile Nexon EV MAX. The latest rally was conducted in Curvv.ev. In addition to covering the fastest 3,800 km across the length of India, the Curvv.ev successfully set 20 national records, said the company spokesperson. “Completing this remarkable journey, the Curvv.ev only took 16 charging stops, with the average time to charge coming down from 28 hours to 17 hours, not only demonstrating advancements in battery technology, but also showcasing India’s widespread public charging network, majority of which now supports faster charging speeds along highways,” the spokesperson added. Notably, the rally was flagged off in Srinagar by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on February 25.

The flagship from TATA.ev navigated through varying weather conditions, a multitude of terrains, and India’s public charging network to reach Kanyakumari at 8:35 am on February 28, where it was received by Vijay Vasanth, Member of Parliament, Kanyakumari.

In May, 2023, National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar welcomed Sushil Reddy, an energy engineer alumnus from IIT Bombay and Guinness Book Record holder after he clinched the coveted record for the longest journey from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in a solar-powered electric car in India. The Guinness Book Record Holder had received a rousing welcome from innovative students and faculty as he concluded his long and challenging 5,000-kilometre, 55-day journey at the NIT campus in Srinagar.

In March, 2024 Hyderabad-based “MOWO Social Initiatives” culminated the second season of its flagship programme “Moving Boundaries.” The transformative over 3,333 km national campaign traversed from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir using electric vehicles to encourage women to pick up electric auto driving as a livelihood. Starting from Kanyakumari on March 8, 2024, the route spanned through key cities, including Madurai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Indore, Jaipur, and Delhi, concluding the expedition in Jammu on March 30, five days ahead of the actual schedule.

Earlier, Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz launched the top trim, the EQE 500 SUV on the picturesque roads of popular ski resort Gulmarg in 2023, which received an overwhelming response.