Posted by Rachelle Administrator · May 12, 2019 12:43 PM
2019 MONACO E-PRIX (RD 9)
VERGNE KEEPS ROWLAND AT BAY AROUND MONACO HARBOUR
Jean-Eric Vergne (JEV) lifted himself back into title contention with victory on the streets of Monaco, bringing to an end the streak of eight consecutive different winners so far this season.
The reigning champion held off the advances of Oliver Rowland in the closing stages with energy levels dropping but managed to hold station and take the chequered flag. The result marks Vergne’s first win around the Principality in any discipline.
Posted by Rachelle Administrator · May 08, 2019 3:41 PM
We're seeing the German "research" recently published in the Brussels Times popping up in media everywhere now. It claims that actually, "Electric Vehicles in Germany Emit More CO2 Than Diesel Ones." This headline alone is enough to convince those, who would dearly love to see electric vehicles fade away like a bad dream after you turn the lights on.
It's unfortunate that the article has been reprinted around the world.
A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.
The Better NZ Trust is republishing the following article so that our stance on the matter is clear. In 2015 the NZ government department, EECA, commissioned a life-cycle analysis of the environmental impact of electric vehicles compared to internal combustion engine vehicles using either petrol or diesel. The (peer-reviewed) report confirmed that EVs are better for the New Zealand environment than the fossil fuel powered vehicles, across the life-cycle of the vehicle as well as while in use. And the situation is only getting better as our energy is getting cleaner, and battery tech is improving. Read that report summary here.
Posted by Rachelle Administrator · April 29, 2019 12:52 PM
2019 ABB FIA Formula E Racing News
2019 PARIS E-PRIX
Frijns Takes First Win in Formula-E after Frantic Race in French Capital
RACE RECAP
Robin Frijns, racing for Envision Virgin Racing, persevered through tricky weather conditions to cling on to victory in a frantic race on the streets of the French capital.
With a slippery surface, damaged front wing and numerous restarts to contend with, Frijns managed to hold position and stay ahead of Andre Lotterer - who again had to settle for second place.
It’s a first-ever win for Frijns in Formula E and extends the list of consecutive different race winners to eight. Still without a repeat winner this season, Frijns jumps to the top of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship - one point clear of Lotterer, courtesy of an extra point for setting the fastest lap.
Frijns - who lined-up third on the grid - moved to the front of the field following mistakes and misfortune from both Nissan e.dams cars in the early phase of the race. After the cars were released behind the BMW i safety car at the start due to wet conditions, Oliver Rowland crashed out of the lead - locking-up and hitting the barrier at Turn 10.
Rowland recovered and dropped down the order to last place, while team-mate Sebastien Buemi suffered a puncture and pitted for a tyre change - gifting the lead to Frijns. However, it wasn’t such plain sailing for the flying Dutchman, with stoppages to clear the track halting any chance of pulling a gap.
With multiple Full Course Yellows and one safety car period, the leading group were kept in close proximity until the chequered flag, putting a first win tantalisingly within reach of Lotterer.
Successive second place finishes lift Lotterer just behind Frjins in the points table, meaning the DS TECHEETAH driver now leads the voestalpine European races.
Daniel Abt rounded-out the top-three positions, earning his second appearance on the podium this season. Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team-mate Lucas di Grassi finished a place further back in fourth - ahead of Maximilian Gunther for GEOX DRAGON with a career-best fifth in Formula E.
Reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne wasn’t able to replicate last season’s success on home soil and could only manage to collect eight points for sixth. Antonio Felix da Costa was next over the line in seventh for BMW i Andretti Motorsport, one place in front of HWA RACELAB’s Gary Paffett in eighth.
Felipe Massa - who was running as high as third - avoided damage after spinning on the exit of Turn 2 and added to VENTURI Formula E Team’s points haul in ninth. MAHINDRA RACING’s Pascal Wehrlein completed the top-10, despite losing Julius Baer pole position and starting last on the grid due to not respecting the minimum tyre pressures in qualifying.
NEXT RACE
Monaco - May 11th
Formula E now returns to the famous streets of the Principality for round nine of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship on May 11 and third installment of the voestalpine European races in Monaco.
Posted by Rachelle Administrator · April 14, 2019 10:53 AM
Mitch Wins for NZ and Panasonic Jaguar Racing
Mitch Evans clawed his way past Andre Lotterer in a hard-fought duel on the streets of Rome to earn his first victory in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship and a maiden win for Panasonic Jaguar Racing.
Evans stalked the back of Lotterer’s car in the opening phase of the race, with the DS TECHEETAH driver unable to pull a gap. With both teams and drivers evenly-matched on pace, it became a tactical battle about when to deploy ATTACK MODE.
It was Evans who blinked first - activating ATTACK MODE just after the halfway mark. Despite losing some time moving off the racing line, Evans stayed ahead of Stoffel Vandoorne in third and quickly roped Lotterer back in.
Lotterer chose not to mirror Evans and ran an alternate strategy, holding off on using the higher power mode and keeping the Jaguar behind - intending to reap the rewards later in the race and using track position to his advantage.
However, Evans had other ideas and made a lunge with only seconds to spare with ATTACK MODE running out. Staying in his slipstream with the shining LED lights on the halo, Evans squeezed by Lotterer with a bold move up the inside of Turn 11.
With the lead changing hands, Lotterer used ATTACK MODE twice on the bounce in a bid to counteract the advance of Evans. But despite his best efforts, he couldn’t get close enough and had to once again settle for second place.
Managing and closely monitoring his energy to the chequered flag, Evans punched the air as he crossed the finish-line - adding to the list of consecutive different winners so far this season and taking the tally to seven.
Vandoorne hung on to the coat-tails of the top-two and rounded-out the podium places, before coming to a halt on the cool down lap. The result marks the first podium for the Belgian in his rookie season and the first for HWA RACELAB in Formula E.
Robin Frijns progressed through the field to fourth ahead of Sebastien Buemi - who picked-up an extra point for fastest lap - with his Nissan e.dams team-mate Oliver Rowland a place further back, in front of Lucas di Grassi in seventh.
Four points for Jerome D’Ambrosio in eighth was enough to vault him above Antonio Felix da Costa, returning to the top of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship standings with the top-nine drivers covered by a mere 13 points.
Reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne couldn’t replicate his form from Sanya, failing to score points after being caught-up in the first lap melee with Jose Maria Lopez and Gary Paffett that eventually brought out the red flag. Vergne was later penalised for overtaking Da Costa under Full Course Yellow - dropping him further down the order.
The ABB FIA Formula E Championship now heads to Paris for the second instalment of the voestalpine European races on April 27.
Posted by Rachelle Administrator · March 24, 2019 10:44 AM
SANYA STREET CIRCUIT, CHINA - MARCH 23:
Showdown in Sanya sees Vergne clinch the win on the city's seafront.
Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA), DS TECHEETAH, (Photo by Alastair Staley / LAT Images)
Jean-Eric Vergne secured a much-needed victory in Sanya on home soil for the Chinese DS TECHEETAH team, vaulting the reigning champion to third in the standings and reigniting his title defence.
The DS TECHEETAH team celebrates victory during the Sanya E-prix at Sanya Street Circuit on March 23, 2019 in Sanya Street Circuit, China. (Photo by Sam Bloxham / LAT Images)
Posted by Rachelle Administrator · March 13, 2019 9:33 AM
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV recovers #1 from the Hyundai Kona BEV hands down
Plugins are a hot item in New Zealand, last month, 200 units were sold in New Zealand, up 111% YoY, and pulling the year result to 329 units (+66%), while share wise, February recorded an impressive 2.6%, pulling the 2019 PEV Share to a record 1.8%, already a significant improvement over the 1.4% of 2018.
Posted by Rachelle Administrator · March 08, 2019 1:16 PM
All-Electric Car Sales In UK Doubled Again In February 2019
Demand for pure electric cars is now higher than supply
Positive news comes from the UKwhere the plug-in car market expanded in February by36%to2,104at a decent2.6%market share.
Results are quite encouraging in the“quietest month of the yearahead of crucial March plate change”, as plug-in hybrids managed to note small growth. The serious increase was made by all-electric cars, which moved up by more than 100% for the second month in a row.
Posted by Rachelle Administrator · March 06, 2019 10:40 AM
London Wins Right to Host Formula E Next Season
It's Official. While Auckland was twiddling its thumbs on the subject, London has streaked ahead and scored the Series that this year is proving to be so much more popular than it has in the past.
Set to take place around the city's iconic Royal Docks and ExCeL London, the drivers will navigate their way around a one-of-a-kind track indoor/outdoor 2.4km clockwise circuit around Royal Victoria Dock.
Consisting of 23 corners, the track layout will see the drivers run along the Thames waterfront for the season finale double-header of the 2019/20 campaign on July 25 & 26 2020 - subject to circuit homologation and approval of the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
ExCeL will be the new home of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in the UK - a market at the forefront of electric vehicle technology and the adoption of clean mobility solutions. London last hosted an e-prix in 2015/16.
Alejandro Agag, Founder & CEO of Formula E, said: “I’m extremely excited to be bringing the ABB FIA Formula E Championship and electric racing back to the UK. Every motorsport series would love to host an event in London - this has been our desire for quite some time now and we’re delighted to have found a new home in the Royal Docks at ExCeL London. We have a growing base of knowledgeable and passionate fans in the UK, and this race adds to a fantastic summer of sport as a world-class event we hope Londoners can be proud of. Formula E coming back to the UK extends beyond pure racing excitement, it’s also a strong message for London to tackle inner-city air pollution by promoting clean technologies and electric sustainable mobility.”
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Race 5, Series 5: ABB Formula E HKT Hong Kong E-Prix
To get a taste of Formula E and electric street racing - tune-in to watch live coverage of race 5 on TVNZ Duke this weekend.
Sunday, March 10 at 8pm - 10:30pm NZT
Voting On Now
TV viewers can participate in the fun by voting for their favourite driver. The top five drivers score an additional boost of power. Voting starts 2 weeks prior to each race, and viewers can vote once a day.
Posted by Rachelle Administrator · March 04, 2019 5:18 PM
Teacher Kirsty White listens to Oli Kirke, 12, talk about his winning story entry.
Timaru 12 Year Old Wins Contest in Protest About Petrol Cars and Bullying
Oli Kirke's protest against petrol cars and bullying has earned him the top prize for his age group in a Department of Conservation writing competition.
The 12-year-old Grantlea Downs School pupil won the age 11-14 category of the summer writing competition hosted by DOC's Arthur's Pass branch, for his short storyGoodbye Dino-juice.
The story, set in 2024, follows a 1950s Cadillac named Bailey as he leaks petrol and yearns to stop "destroying this planet". Nople, the latest Tesla Model X, teases him for his "stinky old butt" until he stands up to her - after which she fits him with an electric motor.
Oli said his story was a protest hoped to encourage people to swap their petrol cars for electric, and to put more effort into understanding and helping each other.
Posted by Rachelle Administrator · February 17, 2019 9:38 PM
Lucas di Grassi stole victory from under the nose of Pascal Wehrlein in a sensational sprint to the finish line on the final lap in Mexico City.
Wehrlein, who led the entirety of the E-Prix and was on course for his first-ever victory in Formula E, ran out of energy exiting the final corner and started to slow only metres from the chequered flag.
