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BHPian Ayush_atish recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
The travel party consisted of two adults, two kids, six bags of luggage, and enough excitement to fill the entire boot (Yes, Mental Preparation is a Must!). The car was packed to the brim, yet the XEV 9e never felt overwhelmed throughout the journey. I maintained a comfortable cruising speed of around 80–100 km/h. But since the car was fully loaded, I sensed that the car did not glide much and lost speed quickly, requiring roughly 3–4% more energy than my usual highway runs. (Yes, that is how loaded it was!)
We left Delhi at around 6 AM and comfortably reached Jalandhar by approximately 1:30 PM. Since we have a house in Jalandhar, this became our first halt.
Although charging was not required, I decided to test the highway charging infrastructure while taking a Tea Stop at Indo American Diner and topped up the battery via Statiq Charger.
Distance Travelled – 263 KM | Arrival SOC – 46% | Topped Up To – 91% | Total Paid – ₹1300 | Location
Safely reached Jalandhar and rested for 2 days while doing some local touring. The car picked up a puncture during local driving in Jalandhar, but a quick visit from a mobile puncture repair service had us back on the road in no time.
For fellow EV travellers, Jalandhar has multiple charging options, including:
This was the section we were most excited about.
We left Jalandhar at around 6 AM and headed towards Srinagar.
Before discussing the charging experience, I must mention the Udhampur bypass. In my opinion, this 30–40 km stretch was the worst road section of the entire trip. The stretch completely broke the rhythm of an otherwise excellent drive.
If I were to do this drive again, I would seriously consider taking the conventional Jammu route instead.
Charging, however, was completely stress-free.
STOP 1 – E-Drive Satish & Co – Malikpur, Pathankot – 60 kW | Location
Distance Travelled From Delhi – 513 KM | Arrival SOC – 65% | Topped Up To – 97% | Paid – ₹530
STOP 2 – Jagat Filling Station, Ramban – 30 kW
This was a hidden find exclusively available on the E-Drive App. It is a petrol pump overlooking the Chenab River. This was easily one of the most scenic charging locations of the entire trip.
Mountains on one side. The Chenab River flows below. And our XEV 9e is quietly charging in between.
Distance Travelled From Delhi – 687 KM | Arrival SOC – 72% | Topped Up To – 92% | Paid – ₹309 | Location
Our primary stay was at the Bloom Hotel near Dal Lake.
The location was fantastic, though I personally felt it was slightly expensive for the value offered.
For EV owners visiting Srinagar, I highly recommend the Tata Power charger at Taj Dal View.
We charged there twice and both charging sessions worked flawlessly.
Recommended Hotels
Recommended Food & Cafes
The Sonamarg drive deserves a separate chapter. This 84 km drive is easily the most scenic I have done in my entire life. What views and such amazing roads. I would need a separate travelogue to share my experience but here are some memories we created along the way.
We charged the vehicle to 96% before departure and reached Sonamarg with approximately 75% battery still remaining.
This single drive completely removed any remaining doubts regarding EV performance in mountainous terrain.
However, Sonamarg also brought the most challenging part of the journey.
Since there is currently no public charger between Srinagar and Sonamarg, we relied on hotel charging at Golden Meadows. Thankfully, my Wonder Current Earthing Device proved useful, as proper earthing arrangements were not available at the hotel.
Unfortunately, here the car suffered a major software glitch, and the AC stopped functioning. This was not the first time I had experienced this software-related AC issue and, honestly, it was the most disappointing part of an otherwise fantastic trip. Since there is no Mahindra Service Station in Sonamarg, we had no option but to head back to Srinagar.
To make matters worse, our tyre suffered a puncture while exiting the property.
The local people were incredibly helpful and assisted us in finding a repair solution.
The AC issue forced us to skip our planned drive to Zojila Pass (however, I did go till Baltal – Last Village of Kashmir) and then returned to Srinagar.
Thankfully, the Mahindra service centre quickly resolved the issue through a battery reset procedure, but this really affected our travel plans as we were not able to go to Shankaracharya Temple, which we so wanted to visit, apart from skipping Zojila Point. But we did not let this affect us too much, and we went on to explore the Hidden Kashmir.
Beyond the usual tourist circuit, we explored:
Doodhpathri
Situated at a distance of 30 KM from Srinagar – Most Scenic Hidden Valley, I must say. With lush green mountains and rain, this view and this journey became a memory for my kids and me.
Baltal
Last village of Kashmir, just pure driving made me trust my XEV so much more. This trip completely erased any lingering doubts I had about EVs tackling serious mountain drives.
Village Roads Around Srinagar
From Dal Lake to Bee Farms during our journey to Gurez Valley and other places, we really found out why Kashmir is called Heaven on Earth.
The roads were excellent and security presence was visible throughout the region.
One thing I would like to say is that we felt completely safe during the entire trip. Dare I say it — at many points during the trip, we felt safer than we do while driving around Delhi.
Total Toll Paid (Both Ways): ₹4,660
Total Charging Cost: ₹6,645.79
For me, the defining image of this entire journey was the XEV 9e standing in Sonmarg against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains.
This single photograph captures everything this trip was about:
Family, adventure, EV travel, and the beauty of Kashmir.
If I had to summarise this journey in one sentence, it would be this:
Long-distance EV travel is more about mindset than technology.
A capable EV with a genuine 400–500 km real-world range can comfortably handle routes like Delhi to Kashmir.
As for Kashmir itself, I believe we should stop calling it the Switzerland of India.
Kashmir is Kashmir.
It does not need a comparison.
And one year after purchase, my XEV 9e has earned my trust completely.
Next up: Delhi – Udaipur – Rann of Kutch.
Until then, happy motoring and safe travels.
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