Tata Tigor EV comes with a 26 kWh battery pack that promises a range of 315 km from a single charge
It is a known fact by now that Tata Motors is the reigning champ in 4W EVs with more than 80% of total market share. Creating a base for Tata Motors for EV future are Nexon EV range, Tigor EV and upcoming Tiago EV. There have been early adopters for EV tech. That said, the number of these early adopters is very meek compared to ICE cars.
There are multiple factors contributing to this delay in EV transition. Primary of which is a need for robust charging infrastructure. There are charging stations springing up in metropolitan and major cities. Tigor EV recently extended Tigor EV’s range to 315 km from a single charge from its 26 kWh battery. What if that is not enough? What if you need something to charge your EV on the go? Sinto Antony demonstrates a way from Kerala. Let’s take a look.
Tata Tigor EV Charged
This method is not a foolproof solution for charging an EV. Rather, this is a way that you can charge your EV in emergencies. Something that prevents you from being stranded in the middle of nowhere. There are RSA (roadside assistance) plans in place that should cover instances like these. However, they come with time penalties.
In his video, Sinto used a diesel generator to charge his Tigor EV. This is not a new concept. There are series-hybrid powertrains that use a dedicated petrol engine to charge the batteries. Some examples of series hybrids are Cadillac ELR, Fisker Karma BMW i3 and more.
Speaking of the BMW i3, it didn’t have a conventional car engine. Instead, it came with a small range extender engine to extend the car’s range in case of emergencies. This is in line with what Sinto Antony did with his Tigor EV. He used a diesel generator to top up his car battery on a trip that included inclines.
There are things to consider when going this route. Firstly, grounding or earthing needs to be properly established. For this Sinto used a metal rod and fixed it to the ground. After a secure connection is established, Tigor EV charger is connected to a 3-pin plug on the diesel generator. The charging process went on smoothly and didn’t trigger any warnings on the car’s OBD.
Charging Process
Even though it is convenient, it is not very fast. Sinto initiated the process when Tigor EV’s SOC (state of charge) was at 26%. After an hour of charging, Sinto only managed to get an increment of 10% taking SOC to 36%. Owner mentions that it is a convenient flexibility to have in case of emergencies, despite being slow.
Diesel generators like this are available in India widely. These might come in handy during unplanned and long tours. When not in use, generators like this will eat into the car’s boot space. Now that EVs are gaining steam, should manufacturers consider integrating a small ICE engine as a range extender? Heck, yeah!
