Discover Electric Driving At Caffyns

Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, Skoda, CUPRA, SEAT, Vauxhall, MG & Lotus

There has never been a better time to think about switching to an electric or hybrid model. With the price of fuel being at an all-time high and the government banning the sales of petrol and diesel cars in the UK by 2035, now is the time experience the benefits of electric driving.

At Caffyns, we have an exceptional range of electric and hybrid vehicles available. Stylish and efficient, these vehicles are the future of motoring and are certain to impress. They have been developed to offer low emissions combined with exciting performance.

Choose from Audi, Volkswagen, SEAT, Škoda, CUPRA, MG, and Volvo. There is a model to suit every lifestyle.

Let's Start At The Beginning...What Is An EV?

EV is an acronym for Electric Vehicle and refers to a car that is either fully or partially operating through electric power. EV's have much fewer moving parts compared to a normal car, therefore dramatically reducing maintenance costs over time. The two main types of EV's are:

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)

A BEV is an exclusively electric-powered vehicle, commonly referred to as a "pure" or 100% electric car, operating solely on electricity. These types of cars rely on external power sources, such as charge points, to recharge their batteries. As a result, they do not emit any pollutants or emissions from their tailpipes.

Plug - In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)

This vehicle incorporates a battery, electric drive motor, and an internal combustion engine (ICE). It offers the flexibility to operate using either the ICE, the electric motor, or a combination of both, and can be replenished using an external power source.

Why Should You Consider Switching To An Electric Vehicle?

Fewer Costs When Travelling In London

No congestion charges for cars that emit less than 75G/Km of CO2, which would normally cost £15 per day! Plus, EVs are allowed to enter Ultra Low Emission Zones for free in the North & South Circular.

Better For The Environment

We all need to make small changes to make a big difference, and owning an electric car can really help to reduce emissions and make our air purer.

Kinder On Your Wallet

Electric cars are much cheaper to run, for example, The Volkswagen electric e- Golf costs 4p per mile when driving, compared to 14p for its petrol alternative!

Fantastic To Drive

Electric cars are great to drive. Quiet, plenty of space and minimal. We have a range of models that can suit you for any stage of your life that you’re at.

Requires Less Servicing

Electric vehicles tend to be cheaper to maintain than petrol or diesel cars as there are fewer moving parts. This means there is less to go wrong. Electric vehicles need servicing at least every 2 years.

Reduced Car Tax

Hybrid and fully electric cars benefit from very low road tax rates due to them having no tailpipe emissions!

Continuous Improve On Range

Electric cars are only continuing to improve and become even more impressive and our EV’s can come with great range. For example, the Volkswagen ID.4 model can take you up to 328 miles (combined WLTP) on one charge!

Easy Access To Charging

The number of charging points continues to increase across the country making it even easier for people to charge their EV's. As well as this, there are at home charging options!

What type of EV Will Suit Me And My Lifestyle?

Plug-In Hybrid

Hybrid vehicles have been designed to offer the best of both worlds, by combining a combustion engine with an electric motor. Using regenerative braking to recycle energy to store in the battery, hybrid models can also be charged using a plug-in charger.

Hybrid vehicles offer the economy of an electric motor, combined with the power and performance of a combustion engine. With the ability to travel up to 20 to 50 miles in pure electric mode and producing zero tailpipe emissions, they are perfect for commuting around the town.

Electric

Powered by an electric battery, they offer zero emissions and benefit from zero road tax. These models can be charged by using public charging point or at home with wall-boxes or 3-pin point charge. Whilst driving, they use regenerative braking to convert energy lost from braking, reusing it to power the car.

With impressive ranges and quick charging times, mile-range worry is a thing of the past. With electric vehicles now capable of travelling over 400 miles and over 68,000 charging points in the UK and numbers constantly increasing, you never need to worry about heading on adventures with an electric vehicle.

Ideal For Someone Who:

Wants to experience electric driving but accessing a charger is not always easy

Still likes the familiarity of a petrol or diesel car

Is looking for something more efficient than a petrol or diesel car

Ideal For Someone Who:

Has access to a home charger for regular charging or lives close to a charging station

Is looking to save money on running costs and maintenance over time

Has a family or needs a spacious car. With no engine, gear box or exhausts, electric cars can provide a lot more space for passengers and luggage

All About Charging

AC / DC

Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) are the two types of power that can be used in charging. The power we get from the grid is always AC, but the battery's found in EV's can only store power as DC.

The converter for charging is built into the car. It will convert your AC power to DC power and delivers it to the car battery. This is the most common type of charging you will find today in a home Wallbox charger and at many charging stations.

The difference between AC and DC charging is where the AC power is then converted. A DC charger has the converter inside the charging station, therefore the DC charge is sent directly to your cars battery without the onboard charger having to change it. DC chargers are much faster than AC chargers meaning a much lower wait time. DC Rapid Chargers can be found at many petrol / service stations and can charge some EV's to 80% capacity in as little as 30 minutes!

kWh & kW Explained

The battery inside a fully electric car stores units of electricity, kWh specifically, meaning Kilowatt-hour, equalling 1 unit of electricity. The ID.3 Pro has a 58kWh battery, meaning it can store 58 units of electricity when fully charged.

kW is short for Kilowatt. A kW is a measurement of how much electricity is needed to make a device operate.

An example of kW: One of the Pod Point EV chargers at Tesco (detailed further below) has a power rating of 22kW. This means a lot more electricity can go through the charger and into your EV compared to a charger that may only have a power rating of 7kW. The higher the kW, the faster the charging time.

Charging options

Public Charging Points

There are over 68,000 public charging points across the UK, offering you the chance to charge when you're on the go. Most networks offer a choice of slow, fast and rapid charging options. With DC Fast Charging, you can add around 90 miles of range in just 10 minutes.

Wallbox Charger

Wallbox Chargers are a convenient way to charge your vehicle at home at a time that works for you. Charging times vary depending on the wallbox power but averages 3 -4 hours to charge a plug-in vehicle. Home Grants and installation discounts are often available.

Household Charger

A standard 220V household connector is best suited for overnight charging, when you're not limited on time. Another advantage of night charging is that electricity is much cheaper at off-peak times, saving you even more money.

The Range

Discover our brands below and their EV models!

mg

FAQs

Yes, certain electric cars can tow including the VW ID.4 and the Audi e-tron. Towing will use more battery power so your range will decrease.

The type of charging method you have chosen to use and the size of the battery will influence the charging time. Some vehicles may take around eight hours to charge whereas some vehicle using a fast charger can be charged to 80% in around 30 minutes.

Electric vehicles are exempt from road tax when the electricity comes from an external source, or when the vehicle is not connected to any source of power when moving.

Electric vehicles tend to be cheaper to maintain than petrol or diesel cars, as there are fewer moving parts than the engine and gearbox, this means there is less to go wrong. Electric vehicles need servicing at least every 2 years.

Most lithium-ion batteries degrade over time after hundreds of charges/uses cycles. Drivers can expect upwards of 10 years or 100,000 miles of use, with reports of twice that distance from new electric cars. The lifespan of an EV is not dissimilar to a conventional petrol or diesel model.

To help preserve an electric car’s battery, we recommend keeping the charge level around 20% and 80%. EVs have sophisticated battery management systems prevent and protects the batteries from overcharging.

Discover Electric Driving At Caffyns

Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, Skoda, CUPRA, SEAT, Vauxhall, MG & Lotus

Let's Start At The Beginning...What Is An EV?

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)

Plug - In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)

Why Should You Consider Switching To An Electric Vehicle?

Fewer Costs When Travelling In London

Better For The Environment

Kinder On Your Wallet

Fantastic To Drive

Requires Less Servicing

Reduced Car Tax

Continuous Improve On Range

Easy Access To Charging

What type of EV Will Suit Me And My Lifestyle?

Plug-In Hybrid

Electric

Ideal For Someone Who:

Ideal For Someone Who:

All About Charging

AC / DC

kWh & kW Explained

Charging options

Public Charging Points

Wallbox Charger

Household Charger

The Range

mg

FAQs

Can Electric Cars Tow?

How Fast Can I Charge An Electric Car?

Are Electric Cars Exempt From Road Tax?

How Often Does An Electric Car Need Servicing?

Will The Battery Degrade Overtime?

How Can I Preserve An Electric Car's Battery?

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