I am no Fazal bhai, but I will try my best to compile all info spread across the forum and based on my physically inspection of the vehicle in DFSK dealership. I will repeatedly compare Volt EV with Alto because right now it's a benchmark of small vehicles in Pakistan.
DFSK recently introduced Volt EV as CBU in Pakistan and CKD production will start from June 2024. This EV is also known as Henery Volt EV in some countries.
Price and booking amount
The price of the CKD is not finalized yet by the company. It could be anywhere between 30 and 35 lacs after the launch. You can buy the CBU with immediate delivery for 42 lacs.
Interior Space & Dimensions
It's a proper 4 seater car with space in the trunk, unlike the Gigi EV. You can store good amount of grocery in the trunk. The front and rear passenger space is surprisingly excellent when compared to Alto. I may not be wrong in saying it's slightly more spacious than Alto.
Volt EV
Length x Width x Height (mm): 3380 x 1499 x 1610
Wheelbase (mm): 2440
Alto
Length x Width x Height (mm): 3395 x 1475 x 1490
Wheelbase (mm): 2460
Interior
The complete interior is made from hard plastic like Suzuki vehicles. Nothing special, here. Though, the color combination is pretty good and dashboard design is modern. Overall it gives premium look. The seat covers are leather made. The seat cushion is ok. Not too hard, not too soft.
Powertrain & Battery
It has LiFePO (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery with capacity of 16.5 kWh. LiFePO usually have good battery life and is not considered as obsolete tech. Electric motor produces 34 kW (45 hp) power and 102 Nm of torque.
As a comparison, here are the Alto's engine produces 29 kW (39 hp) power @ 6500 rpm and 56 Nm of torque @ 4000 rpm. Volt EV will be a rocket when compared to Alto in terms of power figures. Not only Alto's power/torque is less, but to achieve those power figures with ICE, you have to rev them to particular rpms. With electric, you get instant torque as soon as you touch the pedal.
Speed & Range
Top speed in Eco mode is 50~60 kph. In sports mode, it's 100 kph. The company's claim of range is 200 km with full charge, which takes about 6 hours on slow home charger.
With Eco mode, you may get 180 km of real world range. Sports mode may reduce it to 140~160 km. Again, it all depends on how fast you are going, are you using AC or heater. These are the 3 things that are EV range killer. Higher speeds, AC, and heater. On the positive side, EV range don't get affected by idling in bumper to bumper traffic.
Braking
It has ABS+EBD brakes with regen feature to improve range.
Air condition
It has manual AC system like Alto. You cannot adjust AC's cooling performance. It's only on/off with adjustable fan speed. My guess is its AC will not be chiller cool. It's there only to make you feel comfortable. That's it.
Features present in Volt EV but not in Alto
- Manually adjusted driver seat
- Parking sensors
- Rear parking camera
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity
- Alloy rims
- TPMS
Features present in Alto but not in Volt EV
- Airbags
- Retractable mirrors
- Auto adjusting mirrors
Running Cost
If we consider 17 units for charging complete battery and cost of electricity unit as Rs 70 (including taxes). Then total cost of single charge is Rs 1190. Running cost per km is Rs 6.6 if we consider 180 km of range.
Maintenance Cost
I asked about the battery cost from the sales person, but right now he had no idea. He said we will know once the CKD is launched. In order to properly calculate the maintenance cost, we have to compare battery cost from EV and maintenance cost of parts which wear out with time(engine oil, oil filter, air filter, transmission fluid, spark plugs, fuel filter, PCV valve, etc) from ICE.
These components which are common in both EV and ICE are; coolant, brake fluid, suspension components, brakes, tires, 12V battery.
Where does such small EVs fit?
EVs really shine at short trips.
- Choose EV as 2nd vehicle in home for travelling in city with less than 120 km daily drive. Your primarily vehicle for long drive should be a petrol vehicle.
- You don't need to worry about warming up the engine, just turn on and press the pedal.
- The charge wasted when idling is negligible. So it's perfect for bumper to bumper traffic.
In short, EVs are perfect for getting groceries, pick n drop kids to schools, etc.
Petrol vehicles mess up real bad when you use them only for short trips. The engine get full of carbon buildup in less than 5 years. Also, oil dilution occurs on cold start. You have to take them on long to clean the engine internally.