EV News: NZ & Beyond

Road Testing the 2019 LEAF

Posted by · June 16, 2019 2:12 PM

A Best Buy for a BEV with a Big Asterisk

It’s been a long road for the Nissan Leaf. Introduced in 2011, the Leaf was the first mass-market all-electric vehicle and, despite other EV upstarts making gains, the best-selling electric car in history with more than 450,000 sold worldwide. (ed: including being the most registered EV in New Zealand.) It’s won about every award for green automobiles, including the World Green Car award twice.*

* All-new 2018 Nissan LEAF named "2018 World Green Car" by the World Car Awards.

[Full report from Gary Lieber - Clean Technica - 15 Jun 2019]

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Racing Towards A Cleaner Future

Posted by · June 06, 2019 8:47 PM

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 5 JUNE 2019

In a world plagued with deadly levels of air pollution, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship is more than just an inner-city street racing series. It's a lab for developing and demonstrating the latest and greatest technology in the battle for clean air: the electric car. To celebrate World Environment Day, check out what's being done in each of Formula E's 12 host cities to clean up our climate.

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Battle for Berlin FormulaE

Posted by · May 26, 2019 4:42 AM

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

The penultimate race in the Voestalpine European Trophy Races was held in Berlin in the historic Tempelhof Airport yesterday.

It is also the fourth to last race in the overall ABB FIA Formula E 2018/19 series.

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And We Go Green

Posted by · May 18, 2019 10:32 PM

The inside story of Formula E - Friendly on the planet, fierce on the track

Premieres at Cannes Film Festival at 18:45 on Thursday, May 23 at the Salle 60eme.

'And We Go Green' is a documentary showcasing how competition drives technological development and how the excitement of sport can have a meaningful social impact and alter perceptions of electric vehicles.

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVDgoUlzIMU

Experience the highs, lows and blows of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship and uncover why they race in the new feature-length documentary 'And We Go Green.'

Delving deep behind the scenes, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens, Malcolm Venville and Leonardo di Caprio follow the stories of the drivers and highlight the purpose of the all-electric street racing series in the fight against climate change and deadly levels of urban air pollution.

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The Streak Breaks in Monaco

Posted by · 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.

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Diesel Is NOT Better Than Battery

Posted by · 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.

Here's what the rest of the world has to say...

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FRIJNS WINS IN FRANCE

Posted by · 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.

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Electric Vehicle drivers spread the word in South Canterbury

Posted by · April 14, 2019 4:33 PM

First Published in Timaru Herald by Matthew Littlewood on 14 Apr 2019

The conversations were electric in Geraldine as a convoy of vehicles rolled quietly into the town on Saturday.

The fifth annual great EV (Electric Vehicle) road trip, which started in Rotorua on March 28 and finishes in Cape Reinga on April 26, had Timaru man Martin Kane and his seven-seater 2018 Tesla Model X joining the group.

"It's just an exciting car to drive," Kane said about the vehicle ...

Kathryn Trounson and Timaru man Martin Kane (with his 2018 Tesla X) participate in the Great EV Road Trip, which stopped off in Geraldine

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Evans!

Posted by · 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.

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Leading the electric vehicle charge into Wanaka

Posted by · April 04, 2019 5:04 PM

First Published in Crux by Georgia Merton on Apr 4, 2019

With petrol prices over $2.30 a litre, the annual electric vehicle road trip couldn’t have picked a better time to roll (quietly) into Wanaka. As their name suggests, they are quite literally ‘Leading the Charge’ on electric cars, driving the length of the country to change people’s perceptions. The fleet, which includes an electric campervan from Queenstown, arrived and parked up on Wanaka’s lakefront around 3pm today.

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