New Delhi, Aug. 3 -- For the longest time, I drove a diesel SUV as my daily commuter. It wasn't ideal, but even when the fuel gauge dipped to the dreaded 'low fuel' warning, I never panicked. What's the worst that could happen? I could always call roadside assistance through my insurance, and they'd show up with fuel cans.

Life with an electric car is very different. No one's going to rush in with a giant battery to bail you out, at least not yet. There is HopCharge, a startup that'll come to your location (in five cities) and charge your car. But when things go wrong with an electric vehicle (EV), they can go really wrong.

In my 3,000-km experience, I've encountered vandalized chargers, roadside hawkers refusing to move from charging s...