Kathryn Trounson
Chairperson
022 174-9110
[email protected]

The weather Gods turned on a glorious Hawke’s Bay morning for us as we prepared to leave Gisborne for the East Cape leg of the Better NZ Trust Leading The Charge EV Road Trip 2021.

Gisborne to Te Kaha, 260km.

This was the 5th day of a trip, somewhat curtailed due to Covid, that had started in Taupo. Our remaining crew consisted of myself (Margaret Baker in EEEVEE the famous Hyundai Kona), Peter Karl (Tesla Model 3), Mark Buckingham (Tesla Model 3) and his daughter Snow (5), Tim Gutteridge and Phil Pingram (Tesla Model X) and Jasper the dog (English Pointer).

We started the day with a short drive to the top of the Titirangi Scenic Reserve and the WWII Gun Emplacement for spectacular views of the bay, Young Nick’s Head, Mahia Peninsula and beyond. By now it was well and truly time for breakfast so we popped in to Zephyr Wainui for what was the healthiest meal we had eaten all trip - and delicious. And vegan.

Malcolm Macpherson recently purchased a new Ioniq 5 from Central Otago Hyundai in Cromwell.

We asked him to give us his impressions.

The South Island loop concludes...

Cromwell to Naseby/Ranfurly

A beautiful morning from Kinloch and an awesome road to Cromwell.

From Te Anau or Lumsden to Kinloch...

Te Anau to Milford and Lumsden...

From Bluff to Te Anau today...

Declaration: (you can also sign it here)

Global EV Drivers’ Alliance Challenge to World Leaders

We, the undersigned electric vehicle drivers from around the world, are calling on leaders from the 26 countries represented in the Global EV Drivers’ Alliance to commit that 100% of sales of new light-duty vehicles will be battery electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030. We make this challenge as global leaders prepare for the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021. 

Climate change is already having a devastating impact on our planet, causing glaciers to melt, sea levels to rise, harsher droughts and heat waves, and stronger tropical cyclones and hurricanes. This has led to significant loss of life, impacts on human health and environmental destruction which will only get worse in the coming years. We must take action now to mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation accounts for 24% of global CO2 emissions, with road vehicles accounting for nearly 75% of that. We must shift from burning fossil fuels to vehicles running on clean, renewable electricity. This has never been more urgent than it is today.

We urge leaders to commit to 100% of new light-duty vehicles being powered by electricity by the end of this decade. Plug-in vehicles do not have a tailpipe and do not emit dangerous greenhouse gases, making them much healthier for our communities and our planet.

This target is entirely achievable. Automakers are investing now to rapidly shift to EVs. In fact, EVs have quickly gained more than 10% market share in many European countries and enjoy a 60% market share in Norway. Supportive policies, including purchase incentives and robust charging infrastructure, are necessary to help consumers switch to plug-in electric vehicles.

Our planet and its inhabitants will not survive if we do not take urgent, decisive action now, when we are gathered in Glasgow. We simply cannot wait. 

Commit to a plug on every light-duty vehicle by 2030.

Will Hunter has set out to implode the myth that EVs can't tow by demonstrating the towing capabilities of the Nissan Leaf - truly a workhorse of an EV!

It can't be emphasised enough, though, that towing anything with any car, be it petrol diesel or electric, does reduce the range - and if you think about it that is an absolute given - the laws of physics do not and cannot lie! 

Watch them go in this video!

Lithium is crucial for the transition to renewables, but mining it has been environmentally costly.

Now a more sustainable source of lithium has been found deep beneath the ground in the UK.

21 June 2021

The NZDF plugging into more electric vehicles 

The NZDF is boosting its fleet of civilian electric vehicles (EVs). The Government’s State Sector Decarbonisation Fund recently announced $13.1 million of funding for more EVs.

Driving an EV changes the way you live in more ways than one

Global EV Drivers’ Alliance formed by 37 EV driver associations around the world

Electric car use is one of the cornerstones of the Climate Commission's advice to the government on how to become carbon neutral, but how feasible is it?

This was the question posed by  RNZ reporter, Harry Lock, last week, in the run up to the Govt announcements regarding the new 'feebate' system of yesterday.

I show the article in full, with some comments rebutting many of the opinions featured.

A new EV podcast, created by Martin Kane and Alex Shepherd is collecting stories from New Zealand Tesla owners and is aiming to add the human side to the Social Media profile pics.

Global EV Drivers’ Alliance - GEVA - formed by 37 EV driver associations around the world

Alliance members calling for all light-duty vehicles to be electric by 2030

Thirty seven electric vehicle (EV) driver associations have joined forces to create the Global EV Drivers’ Alliance, representing the voice of EV drivers around the globe in leading the shift to clean electric transportation. The grassroots, non-profit organization collects best practices, inspiration and information from EV driver associations and their members to help, inform and inspire each other to accelerate electric mobility in their own regions/countries and worldwide.

Thames EV Expo

0FU3L – the number plate on the electric car said it all and explained the reason for the mini expo of electric vehicles held in Thames recently.

The death of the Petrol station. BBC radio.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct1jnk

I was asked recently what percentage of car sales were EVs in New Zealand in the 2020 calendar year – and you would like to think that that percentage should trip off the tongue when analysing/debating the penetration of EVs in our corner of the world, and so I embarked on finding the relevant data.

The second Martinborough Fair finally took place on the 10th April 2021, having been inconvenienced/postponed by Covid in March, and then affected by rain on the day! However the trusty gazebo and the odd umbrella sufficed until the rain stopped!  The volunteer team had 3 Tesla Model 3's, a Kona, an electric Mini and a BMW i3 to wow the crowds, and over 200 people were engaged over the day, with 21 getting a Tesla ride as an experience!

“What are we going to do with all those batteries?”

That’s a common question anti-EV and cleantech skeptics are always asking. In reality, it’s usually not a question they expect to get answered. They’re “asking” to “prove” that EVs, energy storage, and other cleantech using lithium batteries are actually bad for the environment. There’s just one problem with that tactic: It’s just not true.

The Redvale Landfill - not the most glamorous of site visits but truly fascinating. 

50% of Auckland’s waste arrives here, that is up to 325 trucks of waste per day.

Electricarna 2021 was held on Saturday, 27th of February at Central School in New Plymouth. It was extensively advertised via social media, and Steve Hobo-Tuck, as the main organizer for the Trust, did two radio interviews prior to the event and there were stories in local and national media.

The Wellington/Wairarapa BNZT volunteers were out in force at the first Martinborough Fair this year! 

The Lines Company’s (TLC) new Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station located on Bell Lane, Ōtorohanga is ready to meet the growing needs of customers in the region.

TLC Chief Executive Sean Horgan says TLC is preparing their network for the increased demand from EVs, now and in the future. “Our vision is to build the foundation of an EV friendly network that opens up the King Country and Ruapehu regions to EV drivers.”

“We are doing this by installing EV chargers that are both accessible and within reach across our network.”