Petrol Cars Headed The Way of the Horse and Cart
The New Zealand Transport Agency has begun thinking about how it may need to prepare for the arrival of autonomous vehicles such as this Volkswagen driverless concept car.
[Tom Pullar-Strecker - Business Day - June 18, 2018]
Fieldays: Driven takes a look at the new Kona BEV
For those that can't make it to Fieldays in Hamilton, Sam Wallace of Driven.co.nz has reviewed the new all electric Kona compact SUV in a video here.
One year after launching the company’s first full-electric car, Hyundai has revealed its second EV model for the first time in New Zealand which features double the range, power and segment appeal.
The Hyundai Kona Electric, modelled after the Kona small SUV launched earlier this year, will be the first full-electric compact SUV to go on sale in New Zealand when the first models arrive in showrooms from August.
Due to “massive public interest,” Hyundai New Zealand especially organised a pre-production model to be flown in for the model’s public debut at Fieldays this week.
Hyundai New Zealand General Manager Andy Sinclair says the Kona Electric blends ground-breaking EV technology with New Zealand’s favourite body style, the SUV.
“We have worked hard to ensure New Zealand is one of the very first markets to be able to see the Kona Electric,” said Sinclair.
Final pricing will be announced closer to the launch date however customers can pre-order now from local dealer.
[Driven - David Kavermann - 13 June 2018]
Renault Invests over $1 Billion Euros to Accelerate EV Production
Earlier this year, Renault upgraded the Zoe with a more powerful electric motor and the vehicle has continued to sell well in France and a few other European markets.
Renault says that it posted “38% growth in electric vehicle sales in Europe, with a 44% increase in ZOE registrations and a 23.8% market share in 2017.”
Other EVs should soon join the Zoe in the lineup. The Renault, Nissan & Mitsubishi alliance announced that it will launch 12 new all-electric vehicles within the next 5 years.
They are now working on the supply chain and production facilities to produce those vehicles.
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Introduce a new Alliance electric platform in Douai to create a second Renault electric vehicle production site;
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Double ZOE production capacity and the launch of a new ZOE at Flins, the only ZOE production site in the world;
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Triple electric motor production capacities at Cleon and introduce a new generation electric motor from 2021.
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Invest in Maubeuge for the production of the next generation of the Kangoo family, including the electric utility vehicle Kangoo Z.E.
[Fred Lambert - Electrek - 14 June 2018]
Petrol Prices Don't Bother Auckland EV Owner
Auckland EV promoter, Sean Dick hasn’t visited a fuel station since he bought his Tesla electric car.
Auckland Council voted on May 31, 2018 to implement a fuel tax of 11.5 cents per litre that will be added to the cost of petrol and diesel sold in the Auckland region from July 1.
[Chris Harrowell - Stuff News - June 11, 2018]
The Sceptic In Me Just Died - Driven
D'Arcy is a full on petrol head and deeply cynical about full-electric vehicles. But in Driven Uniques he gets behind the wheel of an EV for the first time, with surprisingly pleasing results.
[Driven.co.nz - Driven Uniques - 12 June 2018]
EECA Funding Brought Forward
There’s more money in the pot for EV innovators seeking co-funding in the next 12 months.
EECA has brought forward an additional $1 million for the Government’s Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund for the 2018/19 financial year, making a grand total of $7 million available for rounds 5 and 6.
“We want to get more projects underway earlier, when investment is likely to have greater impact in accelerating uptake of EVs,” says EECA’s Chief Executive Andrew Caseley. “This will more effectively support the target of 64,000 EVs by 2021.”
The funding is being moved forward from the final year of the contestable fund, 2020/21.
Round 5 is due to open in mid-August, with successful applicants from round 4 announced at around the same time.
[Electric Vehicle News - EECA - 13 June 2018]
World's Largest EV Rally Kicks Off
Whether sharing their knowledge with community, or just a sense of unflagging camaraderie, 160 such teams ranging from solo shade-tree mechanics to major corporations to visiting tourists in rented Nissan Leaf and BMW i3s took to the roads in Switzerland to participate in the largest electric-vehicle rally in the world.
[Eric C. Evarts - Green Car Reports - 12 June 2018]
Tesla’s latest update comes with more ‘nag’
The new Autopilot software update that Tesla started to roll out last week features some improvements in performance as promised by CEO Elon Musk. But now, owners are also finding out that Tesla significantly increased the “nag” to force drivers to keep their hands on the wheel.
[Fred Lambert - Electrek - 11 June 2018]
New Model Updates: Porsche vs Tesla
The eagerly awaited Mission E doesn't aim to be a Tesla killer, it aims to be a 'real Porsche', claims Stefan Weckbach, Head of the BEV Model Series at Porsche.
Meanwhile, will the new Tesla Model Y even have a steering wheel? Elon Musk teases with tidbits of information and a new peek at the styling and shape of this Model-3-sized SUV.
[Electrek - Fred Lambert - 5 & 6 June, 2018]
Nissan begins deliveries of upgraded e-NV200 electric van
Nissan has received over 4,600 orders for its upgraded e-NV200 since sales began in January. The new electric van is now being shipped to customers in Europe and Hong Kong, with Japanese deliveries to follow.
[Charged EVS Newswire by Charles Morris, 4 June 2018]
NZ joins global Electric Vehicle Initiative
New Zealand has joined a multi-government forum of the world’s top electric vehicle markets dedicated to accelerating the uptake of electric vehicles.
Membership of the Electric Vehicle Initiative (EVI) will link New Zealand into international best practice around electric vehicles (EVs) including policy, research and information sharing, said Andrew Caseley, Chief Executive of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
[EECA - 30 May 2018]
Cops patrol on e-bikes
Auckland police patrolled the downtown area on electric bikes during Queen’s Birthday weekend.
[EVTalk, Geoff Dobson, 5th June 2018]
Read moreDismissive Car Dealers Create Barrier to EV Adoption at POS
"Perhaps unsurprisingly, salespeople tended to promote the vehicle that is easier to sell, which outside of Norway, was undoubtedly not an EV."
A recent study published in the journal Nature by a team from Aarhus University in Denmark has found that car dealerships pose a significant barrier to electric vehicle adoption at the point of sale due to a perceived lack of business case viability in relation to gasoline and diesel vehicles.
Read morePower of the Butterfly Effect
POWER OF THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas?
Probably not, but meteorologist Edward Lorenz's chaos theory, the Butterfly Effect, has evolved in popular culture to describe the ability of a small action to create a larger effect.
Nowhere in New Zealand was this more evident than in Dunedin last week. This Little But Mighty city hosted a kaleidoscope of EVents during Tech Week—a huge effort by local volunteers and guests. Here’s the roundup.
Read moreHarry and Meghan's Jaguar E-Type EV
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding car was literally something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.
The royal couple drove away in a Jaguar E-Type Zero, a classic 1968 E-Type roadster that has been converted to run on cutting-edge electric power.
[Stuff Motoring - 21 May 2018]
Conservation Comment: Leading the charge for electric cars
Last week, James Shaw announced he would like to put a tax on imported petrol vehicles to subsidise and encourage electric vehicles (EVs).
[Whanganui Chronicle - Opinion - 7th May 2018]
Easy charging breaks the long distance barrier
People are getting to know electric cars (EVs) as economical run-abouts, perfect for the average daily commute. Owners can easily zip through 100 kilometres and recharge at home overnight, when cheaper electricity rates mean costs are equivalent to about 30c a litre.
[Stuff Business - 6th May 2018]
Leading The Charge Road Trip 2018 - Wrap up
The annual Leading the Charge road trip is over for 2018. Another great adventure was enjoyed by the dozen or so drivers who took in large sections, or all of, the route this year.
By time we got to the start, ran the course, and took test rides, the total distance traveled was just under 6000km.
Read moreLeading the Charge Road Trip of EVs arrives in Whangarei
Council was keen to support the 'Leading the Charge Road Trip' of Electric Vehicles (EVs) from Bluff to Cape Reinga when it arrived in Whangarei on Tuesday 3 April.
[Fuseworks Media - Voxy - 11 April 2018]
Read moreRegion plugs in with more car chargers
Northland is taking charge of its progression to more environmentally friendly transport options, with a national tour of electric vehicles (EVs) marking the launch of some extra charging stations.
The Better NZ Trust brought its Leading the Charge EV tour through Northland this week, stopping off in locations across the region while on its way to Cape Reinga from Bluff.
The third annual EV promotional convoy of seven cars saw a Tesla Model X, three Tesla Model S’s, a Hyundai Ioniq, Renault Zoe, Nissan Leaf and BMW i3 all being displayed in towns across NZ.
Starting in Bluff on March 14, it stopped off at Whangarei on Tuesday and touched down in Kerikeri that evening, where a charge station was launched, before landing at the Cape on Wednesday.
[Christine Allen - Northlanders - 5 April 2018]
Read moreLeading the Charge Hamilton
The Leading the Charge roadtrip made its way into Hamilton on March 28, so I snuck down from Auckland to see how they were going.
[Rachel Hadfield - EV Talk - 29 Mar 2018]
Read moreLeading the Charge RoadTrip Driving The Future
How do you convince the public that electric cars are no longer a fad but the future?
That is the challenge that faces the Better NZ Trust volunteers as we set out on the epic #LeadingTheCharge EV Road Trip starting March 14 in Bluff.
Over three weeks and 26 events, volunteers, driving a wide arrange of electric vehicles (EVs) will make the toe-to-tip journey from Bluff to Cape Reinga, sharing their love for EVs.
Electric vehicles hit Far North to mark launch of Crimson Coast Electric Vehicle Highway
On Tuesday the Far North's Crimson Coast Electric Vehicle Highway will be officially opened in Kerikeri and there will be a range of electric vehicles (EVs) on hand for the launch.
[Northland Age - 29th March 2018]
Convoy Celebrates Kaitaia Charger Opening
An electric vehicle fast charger is opening in Kaitaia at 11am on Wednesday the 4th of April. It is one of a number of chargers that are being opened in the far north as part of the Crimson Coast EV Highway.
[Shawn Moodie - ChargeNet NZ - 28 March 2018]
Read moreLive News Electric convoy to open Far North Crimson Coast EV Highway
Source: Far North District Council – Release/Statement
Headline: Electric convoy to open Far North Crimson Coast EV Highway
Far North residents have the chance to test drive the latest electric vehicles, including high-performance Teslas, on Tuesday 3 April when the Far North’s Crimson Coast Electric Vehicle Highway is officially opened in Kerikeri.
[Live News - 28th Mar 2018]
Electric vehicles on show at Bayfair
Bayfair Shopping Centre had more electric vehicles than usual on site today when the #LeadingTheCharge road trip came to town.
[Sunlive - 28th March 2018]
EVs call in on promotional tour
Four luxury Tesla electric vehicles (EVs) and six other electric and hybrid cars coasted into Gisborne yesterday as part of the nationwide Leading the Charge EV road trip.
[Gisborne Herald - 28th March 2018]
Electric convoy to open Far North Crimson Coast EV Highway
Far North residents have the chance to test drive the latest electric vehicles, including high-performance Teslas, on Tuesday 3 April when the Far North’s Crimson Coast Electric Vehicle Highway is officially opened in Kerikeri.
Electric vehicles (EV) will gather at the Countdown Kerikeri carpark on Butler Road from 4pm, many of them part of the annual Leading the Charge Road Trip from Bluff to Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga).
[Far North District Council Media Release - 27 Mar 2018]
Read moreElectric convoy to open Far North Crimson Coast EV Highway
Electric vehicles (EV) will gather at the Countdown Kerikeri carpark on Butler Road from 4pm, many of them part of the annual Leading the Charge Road Trip from Bluff to Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga).
Kerikeri marks the final stop for the EV convoy before it heads north to complete the road trip on Wednesday. The vehicles will be publically available to view and test drive, and will include Hyundai Ioniq, BMW i3, Tesla S and X models, and a Nissan eNV-200 camper van.
Electric cars pull the crowds in Whanganui
Whanganui people were queuing in their hundreds to test drive a fleet of electric vehicles on Saturday.
[Wanganui Chronicle - 26th March 2018]