Tata Harrier.EV Charged Using Petrol Generator In Spiti: Here's How To Do It Safely
Another instance of electric car owners charging their EVs with petrol generators (gensets) has surfaced online. A Harrier.EV owner recently took his electric SUV to Spiti valley. There, he plugged the EV into a genset, for some quick top-up. A video was later shared online, showing the owner having fun with his folks and the car charging with the help of a running genset. Let’s first watch the video, talk a bit about it and then discuss how you can safely charge an electric car using a genset. (Getting the earthing right is important, which we will talk about in detail later in this article)
This video was originally shared on the Instagram handle Roadxroots. In it, we can see a Harrier.EV, finished in Empowered Oxide colour, standing still somewhere in Spiti. The owner and his friends are seen nearby, camp-cooking and enjoying the view around. Meanwhile, the car is plugged into a generator, which they likely carried in the boot, throughout the journey. The vehicle seems to be charging, although at a slow pace. The group appears to be unfazed by the unconventional setup.
The original creator shared this video yesterday. It got a lot of attention online, possibly because of the car involved. The Harrier.EV is in good demand today. However, ‘due to reasons unknown’, the video was taken down within 24 hours! By then multiple other pages had already reshared and reposted it on various social media platforms.
Videos like this often spark debates online. Some call it ironic- using fossil fuel to charge an electric vehicle, when the entire narrative behind the country’s EV push was once ‘Combustion engines pollute a lot and EVs will curb pollution by replacing them completely’. Over the past few years, we have seen the gaps in this claim and understood why one cannot replace the other.
There are also groups of people who see it as practical problem-solving in remote areas with inadequate charging infrastructure.
Spiti valley has breathtaking views and some of India’s most challenging terrains. Forget EVs, even ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles may struggle to survive there for long. In this case, however, the question is about battery and charge levels.
Since the original creator has deleted his videos, we don’t know the backstory of this incident or how the owner decided to plug the vehicle into a genset.
Spiti has very limited EV charging facilities. Hotel Dayzor in Kaza has a GoEgo charger that can charge both electric two-wheelers and cars. Situated at an altitude of 3,800m, it is the world’s highest EV charger. Since we don’t have access to previous videos, we don’t know if the owner had tried this charger before resorting to the genset.
While it is not as efficient as proper AC or DC charging, gensets can sometimes act as the perfect emergency support. In such cases, it is important to connect and use them properly. Keep in mind- we are dealing with high voltages and complex electrical systems.
The car’s AC home charger can be used to charge from a generator. What needs to be taken care of properly, is earthing. If it is not done right, the vehicle may display an error and refuse to charge. A metal rod and some copper wires can be used to do proper earthing.
The Neutral and Earth of the extension board or socket need to be connected by copper wires before plugging the car’s AC charger in. Proper earthing is then provided by connecting it to a metal rod fixed in the ground. This will get the potential differences right, clear the error, and initiate charging.