Laptop use in car
 

Hello everyone,

I plan on bringing my laptop and I was wondering if cars in India are equipped with cigarette lighters or some sort of power source to plug in my laptop. We plan on getting hiring an Ambassador.

IS there any problem plugging a North American laptop into an Indian car outlet?

Thanks
TravelHolic

If you are doing any long-distance driving trips do NOT use an Ambassador, they do not have the suspension nor shock absorbors to make long drives over the poor quality Indian roads pleasant. You want some sort of SUV or a mercedes or other car with a better suspension system.

For short city tours Ambassadors are a hoot and certainly an Indian experience. I have even used them in Jaipur for short (2-3 hour) desert tours in winter when you don't need air con( which most Ambassadors do not have).

Even for the highway and with an SUV or other more smooth riding car, you obviously have never been on on Indian one, as the thought that you could calmly do work while changing lanes constantly, the driver is hitting the brackes, honking his horn, etc is quite hilarious to me. I have never attempted it yet, albeit I don't take long drives these days with my laptop....

I don't know about the cigarette lights in Ambassadors, my assumption is that they are there, and your PC's power pack should be able to run off anything, you should check the particuluars of your PC. Most every PC made these days is dual-voltage and can run off most every power source. Whether the battery of an Amabassador is strong enough to power a PC and the car is a question, I have no reason to think it is not, at least while the car's engine is running.

There are several models of Ambassador cars operating on the Rajasthan roads.
a. Amby 1500 DSZ, with an indeginous 1500cc engine. These are non ac & make lots of noise. Not recommended.
b. Amby 1800cc petrol. A very powerful vehicle equipped with an Isuzu petrol engine. Most 2-star generals of the indian army use the car.
c. Amby 2000cc DZ, equipped with a deisel isuzu engine. Good & fast but no frills like automatic door controls etc.
d. Amby 2000cc Grand, comes with an improved Isuzu turbo deisel soundless engine with cigarette lighter fitting, automatic doors, improved suspension etc. My car fridge worked well on one such car this summer. I am sure if you plan to hire this particular model, your laptop must work too.
Very best for your plans.

why not ask the company from which you are hiring the auto??

Cicerone and VP,
Thanks for your reply.

Travel_Holic