It is apparent that 2019 will be an exciting year for EV releases in LHD and some, in RHD, hopefully filtering down to the NZ market.

But even more exciting in 2019, will be the expected announcements of delivery dates for a whole raft of BEVs likely to be released in 2020/21. Experts predict that 2020/21 will be when EV finally becomes a viable alternative for the bulk of the driving population because there will be an EV model suited to almost anybody. That's not to say the bulk of the market will choose an EV, but that there will be less holding them back.

Before then, we have a few new cars hitting the international market and a few notable models finally reaching NZ in 2019.

VW Buzz (concept), due to go on sale in 2022

First up, let's look at those models that have already been released, but to the best of our knowledge are expected to reach NZ shores in 2019.

[Rachelle Tilsley - Better NZ Trust - 31/12/18]

SAUDIA Ad Diriyah

With just 3 days to go until the start of the 2018/19 racing season, FELIPE MASSA, one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, drove deep into the deserts of Saudi Arabia to test his skills against the fastest animal on earth.

It’s not the first time the fully-electric Formula E car has been pitted against a member of the animal kingdom, with reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne running side-by-side with a cheetah on the Western Cape of South Africa last year.

Vergne narrowly edged out the fastest land mammal, but fans asked for a rematch - this time together with a more demanding competitor. Listening to the feedback of fans on social media, it became the turn of the peregrine falcon, which is capable of reaching speeds in excess of 350 km/h (217 mph) when diving through the skies.

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[Rachelle Tilsley - Better NZ Trust - 12 Dec 2018]

Yoogo Share has won first place in the "Smarter Transport" category of the 2018 NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards. 

Right to left: Yoogo Share Development Manager, Tracey Jay. Yoogo Share General Manager, Kirsten Corson. Waste Management National Manager Customer First, Marsha Cadman. Waste Management Sustainability Manager, Adam Weller.
Image Credit: Sustainable Business Network

650 people attended the black-tie NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards dinner in Auckland last Thursday night to find out which businesses were leading sustainability in the country. Yoogo Share was up against Waste Management NZ, Civic Contractors, Enviro NZ, Tranzit Group, Yoogo Share and Mevo for the Smarter Transport Award.

With a general power cut in Taupo recently, one EV owner and dealer, Steve Greenwood of Drive EV (www.driveev.co.nz/) has been able to keep the power going at his home and office.

Using an inverter running off the traction batteries in an EV, he has available two AC power points for household appliances. 

We were unsure if EV Owners would be able to attend a Friday evening visit to Alpine Energy, but in the end but a good number of owners arrived, including three new members for whom this was their first community event.

Alpine Energy was one of the early adopters for Electric Vehicle Fast Charging in the South Island.

In fact, CEO Andrew Tombs said it was, at the time, one of the easiest proposals to get through the company’s Board and they saw the benefit of Electric Vehicles taking advantage of the distribution infrastructure already installed to use to better effect.

"If Racing Was a Game, Consider It Changed."

With just a month to go, we're getting excited about ABB FIA Formula E: Season 5.

Edoardo Mortara (Venturi Formula E Team), Valencia pre-season testing - Credit: LAT/Formula E

New Zealand Waves The Flag at International EV Symposium

National award for Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa! Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa has won the Innovation category of the EECA Business Awards! The complex has recently begun trialling New Zealand’s first 65kW Capstone micro turbine generator which converts methane from its thermal water bores into electricity.

The EECA Business Awards were held on September 26th at the Villa Maria Estate in Auckland.

The theme this year was innovation and leadership.

The awards are about celebrating successful businesses and people who reduce carbon emissions and save energy. They are about recognizing a successful reduction of our impact on climate change. Electric Vehicles play an important part of this story, as Transport accounts for 20% of NZ's carbon emissions. Once again EV adopters were included amongst the winners.

“There are no losers here,” said Andrew Caseley, Chief Executive of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). “Least of all our environment and economy."

Judging for the EECA Business Awards 2018 was provided by the University of Waikato, whose Energy Research Group is recognised as one of New Zealand’s foremost industrial engineering learning organisations.

Click here to see a full list of award winners and the judges' notes 

A quick roundup of 2018 award winners were:

During the recent 2018 International Drive Electric Week, I was lucky enough to test out the smooth drive of a brand new Yoogo Share BMW i3. It wasn’t just the electric glide, but the whole Yoogo Share experience went smoothly. 

But after I returned the car I felt quite deflated.

Yoogo Share is a fully electric car sharing service.

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