Discover The World Of Luxury Electric Driving

Caffyns Lotus In Kent

Lotus, a British automaker known for its lightweight, high-performance sports cars, has undergone a significant transformation as it embraces and disrupts the EV world. With the introduction of the Lotus Eletre, an all-electric SUV, and the Lotus Emeya, a sleek electric sedan, the brand is moving beyond its traditional niche of race-inspired cars into the world of luxury electric vehicles. These models signal Lotus' commitment to a future driven by sustainability, combining its heritage of precision engineering with cutting-edge electric technology.

Why Should You Consider Switching To An Electric Vehicle?

Less 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.

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.

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 the air cleaner.

Easy Access To Charging

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

Kinder On Your Wallet

Electric cars are much cheaper to run, saving you money over time.

Continuous Improvement On Range

With Lotus continuing to improve their technology, our EVs can come with great range. For example, the Eletre can come with a maximum range of 373 miles!

Fantastic To Drive

Lotus electric cars are great to drive. Quiet, plenty of space and minimal vibration. The drive is dynamic, lightweight and precise, still obtaining the classic Lotus DNA.

Reduced Car Tax

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

All About Charging

AC / DC Explained

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 EVs 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 Eletre has a battery capacity of up to 109, meaning it can store 109 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 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.

How To Charge Your Lotus

Public Charging Points

As of August 2024, there are now over 68,273 public charging points across the UK, the most we have ever seen, and this is only going to continue to increase! Mainly located at petrol & service stations and car parks, most people can find one close by to their home or work to access. With fast chargers, your Lotus can be charged in under an hour, then you will be back on the road.

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.

Wallbox Charger

A wallbox charger installed professionally at your home is arguably the most convenient way for you to charge your EV. This allows you to charge your EV when it suits you best and you can plan ahead, meaning you can leave the house ready to go with a full battery.

There are often grants available from the government to help install a wallbox charger at home.

Range Anxiety?

One thing that may be playing on your mind when considering an EV is range anxiety. What range will I get from my car? What about the motorway or if I want to go on holiday? Can an EV handle all of that?

The answer is yes! But there are many different factors that can impact range, therefore it is important that as an owner of an EV, you are knowledgeable about your car, what it is capable of doing and what factors will effect its range. Some of these factors may be unavoidable at times, but by being aware, you can be more prepared for whatever life journeys you may be heading on...

All car manufactures must legally declare what their EV's standard range will be in compliance with the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). WLTP only considers the EV's driving, and doesn't consider the other factors that could impact range.

Factors Impacting Range

Battery Size

The size of your battery and the capacity of it will be the biggest factor to determine your EVs range. The amount of electricity it is capable of storing will reflect on how many miles you are expected to get from it.

Road & Weather Conditions

Your EV will use more electricity when powering along bumpy or hilly roads. As well as this, the car will be working harder in poor weather conditions such as snow, therefore these factors will decrease your battery's range quicker.

Air Conditioning

The use of cooling or heating air will draw more power from your EV, therefore impacting its range. In the height of summer or winter your car may require more frequent charging due to the increased use of air conditioning.

Not Thinking Ahead

Not preconditioning your EV when there is much colder weather can decrease its range. When your car is charging, it is a good idea to preheat your EV as it will warm up using the power from the charging, not from the battery. Starting off on a cold battery could mean that a couple of miles actually cost you a lot more.

There are other factors as well that will impact your EVs range the exact same way a petrol or diesel cars fuel consumption would be affected. Tyre quality and pressure will affect your range, as well as your style of driving. Harsh braking or frequent full acceleration will require more power therefore decreasing your EV's range quicker. The weight inside the car will also affect the range, but despite all these factors, EV's can still achieve an impressive range. Looking after your car and maintaining it well by looking after the tyres and servicing it when needed will all help to keep your EV in tip top condition.

Main Take Away:

Try to plan ahead and always consider the factors that could impact your range. If you are going on holiday and using your EV to travel far, consider the extra cargo that may decrease your maximum range. Find out where you can stop off to charge (if needed), so that you feel confident on your journey, and most importantly enjoy the drive without worry.

Myth Busters

EV Batteries Will End Up In Landfill

EV batteries have a power management system that helps to protect the overall long term health of the battery. Even when the battery becomes no longer fit for use, it can either be recycled or reused for another purpose. EV batteries tend to still have a good amount of capacity left for it to be used alternatively, just not for an EV, and if it is not reused, it can be broken down and recycled in parts. This can then be used to create more batteries.

EVs Are Slower

EVs can be equally as fast, if not faster than some petrol / diesel cars depending on the model. An EV produces 100% of it's torque immediately. Because of this, an EV's acceleration can feel quicker than a normal car because it happens instantly compared to a fuelled car where its combustion engine requires 'revs' to build up the power.

EVs Are More Expensive

A lot of EVs can be more expensive due to the technology built within them, but overtime, these prices could come down as volumes increase. It is important to not be put off by this though, as you need to look at the long term use of the vehicle. You will not be spending as much on fuel compared to charging costs, and you will have to service an EV less compared to a fuelled car. Additionally, an EV has less components so technically, there could be less to go wrong.

EVs Are Not Good For Long Distances

When it comes to this myth, it's all about context. On average, an EV has less range compared to a car with a full tank of fuel, but for the average Brit, charging your EV once a week is enough. This doesn't pose much of an inconvenience when there are so many public chargers available (many with rapid charge) and also the option to charge at home if you can. Additionally, battery ranges are continuing to increase so there are many options and models to chose from with a max range that will suit you and your lifestyle.

EVs Take Too Long To Charge

Not true! There are many different speeds of chargers, it just depends on where you go to charge. For example, a 7kW charger (mostly found in your home) is good for charging overnight. A 22kW charger (mainly found in the supermarket / shopping centre carparks) are good for topping up your battery. 50kW/100kW & 150kW chargers also found at supermarkets, service / petrol stations etc can offer a rapid charge and charge your battery to 80% in as little as 30 minutes!

Lotus Kent