The All-Electric Lexus UX 300e (SUV): The Complete Electric Car Buying Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

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The All-Electric Lexus UX 300e SUV

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Lexus, renowned for the manufacture of luxury cars, is owned by the Japanese automotive behemoth, Toyota Motor Corporation. Lexus was created in 1989 to compete against Japanese rivals, Honda Motor Company and Nissan Motor Company, who had established their premium brands, Acura and Infiniti, respectively. However, work on the Lexus concept commenced as early as 1983.

The Lexus brand is now a well recognised global automotive brand in the premium segment, with its luxury cars sold in more than 90 countries. The United States continues to be its largest market. Though Lexus is relatively late to the global electrification (EV) race, the company has been involved with hybrid technology since 2005, the year the hybrid version of the RX crossover made its debut. The company has been a leader in ‘self-charging hybrid cars’. The company has the following electric vehicles (EVs):

• All-electric Lexus UX 300e (BEV)
• All-electric Lexus RZ 450e (BEV)
• Lexus NX plug-in hybrid (PHEV)
• Lexus RX plug-in hybrid (PHEV)

The Lexus UX is a compact luxury SUV crossover. It was launched in March 2018 at the Geneva Motor Show. UE stands for ‘Urban Explorer’ and has been developed using the GA-C platform. The UX SUV is available as a mild hybrid and as a fully electric variant, the Lexus UX300e battery-electric SUV.

The premium EV is available in one EV battery size (54.3 kWh). Though not as large as some of the more recent BEV introductions, the e-SUV still has a decent EV range. The electric vehicle has a claimed zero-emission electric range up to 315 km (WLTP). However, depending on driving conditions, driving style, onboard services used, passenger load, etc, the real-world electric range will be lower, closer to 265 km.

A 265 km EV range is still a very useful e-range. Do keep in mind that the majority of our day-to-day driving needs are shorter commutes i.e. school runs, grocery store, gym, work, high street etc. Even for motorway driving, the electric SUV offers decent practicality.

The EV is capable of DC charging up to 50 kW, which is a lower charging speed compared to alternative e-SUVs at a similar price (100 kW DC plus is fast becoming the norm!). Having said that, 50 kW DC capability is still fast and the EV battery can be charged 10% to 80% in 53 minutes. Perfect time for a meal break and rest before continuing with the journey.

The Lexus electric SUV has a 6.6 kW AC (single-phase) onboard charger. Though many EVs now offer a 3-phase onboard charger (11 kW), a single-phase onboard charger is still adequate, given that most homes in India are powered by single-phase power supply. For home charging via a dedicated single-phase EV charger, the EV can be fully charged in just over 8 hours. we at e-zoomed discourage the use of a 3-PIN domestic plug for charging an electric car. Also, given the increase in electricity prices, we recommend charging at home, overnight, when the tariff prices are cheaper.

The compact body is certainly advantageous for urban driving, in particular, given the excellent turning radius of 5.2m. However, the aggressive rear sloping roofline reduces the headroom available for the rear seats. The EV offers a decent boot space up to 486 L. The Lexus EV has a high quality interior, as one would expect from Lexus.

The electric SUV incorporates the Lexus Safety System +, reversing camera, intelligent parking sensors, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The higher trims include wireless smartphone charger, smart keyless entry, sunroof, head-up-display (HUD), heating seats and heated steering wheel.

In terms of performance, the front-wheel drive (FWD) Lexus UX 300e is decent, despite the additional weight of the EV battery. The Lexus EV can achieve 0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds (max power: 204 hp/ 300 Nm torque). The top speed of the EV is 160 km/h. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Lexus UX 300e SUV is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Lexus high quality interior and specifications	Cheaper electric SUV alternatives available
Striking exterior styling and good build quality	Electric range not as good as alternatives. DC charging limited to 50 kW and onboard charger limited to 6.6 kW AC
Easy to drive and park in congested urban environments	Limited headroom for rear seat passengers

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The All-Electric Lexus UX 300e SUV (credit: Lexus)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Body Type:	SUV (compact)
Engine:	Electric
Available In India:	No

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Variants (1 Option)
Lexus UX 300e (from ₹ N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 54.3 kWh
Charging:	50 kW DC rapid charging (10%-80% SOC: 53 mins). Onboard charger 6.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 8 hrs)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	0g (CO2/km)
Warranty:	8 years or 160,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1545
Width (mm):	1840
Length (mm):	4495
Wheelbase (mm):	2640
Turning Radius (m):	5.2
Boot Space (L):	486

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UX 300e
EV Battery Capacity:	54.3 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	315 km
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):	17.1
Charging:	50 kW DC rapid charging (10%-80% SOC: 53 mins). Onboard charger 6.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 8 hrs)
Top Speed:	160 km/h
0-100 km/h:	7.5 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Max Power (hp):	204
Torque (Nm):	300
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Kerb Weight (kg):	1,785 – 1,840
Colours:	10
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Charging An Electric Car: An Introduction

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Just as refuelling a conventional car is a key part of driving a petrol or diesel vehicle, charging an EV, is a key element in driving an electric car. For those new to electric driving, EV charging may seem daunting, however, in reality, charging an electric car, like the all-electric BMW i4, is relatively straightforward, and in many way, as simple as charging a smartphone!

Broadly, there are two ways to charge an electric car: AC EV charging or DC EV charging. In general, home EV charging is AC EV charging, and public charging stations are DC fast charging. Of course, some public charging stations are also AC EV charging.

All the power supplied by the grid is AC power (Alternating Current). These include, residential dwellings, office buildings, factories etc. However, all the energy stored in an EV battery has to be converted to DC (Direct Current). In the case of AC electric car charging, the conversion from AC to DC takes place within the electric vehicle (EV) via a converter, more often referred to as an onboard AC charger.

Both, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), incorporate an onboard AC charger. Most PHEVs incorporate a single-phase AC charger, while BEVs incorporate, either a single-phase or three-phase onboard charger. As an example, the pure electric BMW i7 saloon, incorporates a 3-phase (11 kW) AC onboard charger. While the Jaguar E-PACE Plug-In Hybrid SUV incorporates a single-phase (7 kW) AC onboard charger.

Of course, a 3-phase onboard AC charger, will charge at faster charging speeds. Most home electric car chargers in India will be single-phase (7 kW), as the power supplied to homes in India is single-phase. However, commercial and office buildings usually offer 3-phase electric car AC chargers (11 kW – 22 kW), as commercial buildings are powered by three-phase power supply.

Apart from the above, also developing in India is the fast/ rapid DC EV charging infrastructure. DC EV chargers offer significantly faster charging speeds, compared to AC charging. The reason this is possible, is because, DC chargers ‘convert’ AC to DC within the DC EV charger, and therefore are not limited by the onboard AC charger incorporated in an electric vehicle (EV). DC charging usually varies between 50 kW DC to 250 kW DC. However, also under development are 350 kW DC chargers.

In general, most EVs that offer DC charging capability, can be charged between 10% – 80% within 30 minutes. In sharp contrast, single-phase AC EV chargers usually take between 7 – 12 hours to charge an electric car. Three-phase EV charging is faster, and usually between 4 to 7 hours. Yes, an electric car can be charged via a standard household domestic socket. It usually take between 25 to 30 hours to charge an EV. We at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic socket for charging an electric car. Using a smart residential EV charger, is both, faster and safer, for charging an EV.

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AC EV Charging	DC EV Charging
More common in residential dwellings, but also used for non-residential buildings (offices etc)	Mostly used for public charging destinations
Slower charging speeds (3 kW – 43 kW)	Faster charging speeds (50 kW DC – 350 kW DC)
AC power is converted to DC within the electric vehicle via an onboard converter	AC power is converted to DC power within the DC EV charger
Lower acquisition and maintenance costs	Higher acquisition and maintenance costs
Lower charging costs	Higher charging costs

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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