Waiting for your electric vehicle to charge can be a mind-numbing experience, but Vauxhall thinks a dose of caffeine could be a welcome distraction.
The British car company has unveiled a new electric car called the Mokka Coffe-e that has a compact coffee station located in its 310-litre boot.
From the front seat, owners can open the barista-quality kit with the touch of a button before exiting the car to pour a latte.
Vauxhall says the portable brewing kit provides a “barista-standard” coffee when drivers are miles away from their favourite cafe.
It gives drivers and their vehicles the opportunity to recharge energy, filling the time when the vehicle receives a burst of energy from a charging point.
The boot of Vauxhall’s 310-litre Mokka has been transformed into a coffee bar with a pull-out drawer housing barista-quality tools.
The British company’s new electric concept car offers both the driver and the vehicle the possibility of recharging.
‘The Vauxhall Mokka Coffe-e is a unique concept car, designed to offer electric vehicle drivers the perfect coffee break,’ the firm says on its website.
‘Recharge with our award-winning barista coffee and recharge your Mokka Electric on the go.’
Just like you would press a switch to open the trunk of a regular car, the vehicle’s coffee station is accessed with the touch of a button on the center console.
The Coffe-e concept has not one, but two coffee machines: one for freshly ground beans and one for capsules.
There is also a coffee grinder, a container for used espresso grounds, a milk frother and a refrigerator for storing milk.
Just like you would press a switch to open the trunk of a regular car, the car’s coffee station is accessed with the touch of a button on the center console.
Vauxhall is referring to this as a concept car, meaning it’s not ready to go on sale, but it shows a new idea that could make its way into vehicles in the near future.
The ‘barista-quality tools’ are stored in a stylish pull-out drawer sporting Vauxhall branding, including the portafilter handles and the capsules themselves.
But from the outside, the coffee cup symbol is the only clue to other drivers that there is something special about this vehicle.
Vauxhall has also partnered with Cafeology, a Sheffield-based artisan coffee roasting company, to create a range of coffee blends “to suit all coffee tastes”.
They include ‘Cosmic Red’ with notes of stone fruit acidity, ‘Contrast Grey’ with a herbaceous and earthy body and ‘Voltaic Blue’ with a sweet and vibrant fruity flavour.
Vauxhall is referring to this as a concept car, meaning it’s not ready to go on sale, but it shows a new idea that could make its way into vehicles in the near future.
Drivers and passengers can decide their preferred type of coffee from a menu before stopping at a charging station and preparing their coffee.
Still, electric car manufacturers are increasingly adding gadgets to keep owners entertained during the charging process.
Charging an electric car can take several hours depending on the size of its battery, making it a generally slower refueling option than traditional gasoline.
By 2030, the UK government plans to end sales of diesel and petrol cars in favour of electric vehicles, which run on power from a charged battery in much the same way as a smartphone.
The Mokka Electric is just one of many electric Vauxhalls, with the The specifications of the new Grandland EV have just been confirmed and a new Frontier hitting UK roads later this year.