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:

STEVE AND DEE WEST ARE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTORS AT EV WORLD NZ 2018

Two of the founders of the Better NZ Trust, Steve and Dee West, were recognised at EV World 2018 for the outstanding work they have put into the EV space in New Zealand.

Tesla plans to open-source its vehicle security software for free to other automakers for safer self-driving future

EVworld organiser Conferenz has announced the finalists for its ‘champions’ awards – set to be revealed at the August event.

The awards recognise the pioneering individuals, businesses and towns who are committed to championing the uptake of EVs in New Zealand.

[Richard Edwards - EV Talk - 18 July 2018]

June's EV figures are currently being released around the world and as we're at the half-way mark of 2018, it's a good time to check on EV Growth progress.  

[Data supplied by Ministry of Transport NZ and EV Sales. photo  BAIC EC series flooding China's streets, courtesy of EV Sales]

Since 1916, cars of all types and more recently motorcycles have been competing in this gruelling uphill race.

With an official time of 7:57.148, VW’s fully electric racer beat the previous EV record of 8:57.118 set in 2016, as well as the overall course record of 8:13.878 set in 2013.*

Overall winners can compete under any class of cars or motorcycles, although the majority come from the open wheel and more recently the unlimited classes. 

* Two previous faster times were on a shortened course.

Read Article Here

[Charles Morris - 2 July 2018 - Charged EVs Magazine, Newswire]

A convoy of electric vehicles (EVs) are buzzing into Lower Hutt this month as part of the #LeadingTheCharge country wide road trip.

The exhibition will arrive at Dowse square on Thursday 22 March after having travelled roughly half of their journey from Bluff to Cape Reinga.

Aimed at promoting electric vehicles the silent convoy of BMW i3, Hyundai IONIQ, Nissan Leaf and Tesla will allow Hutt City residents and CBD businesses to see a range of EVs, chat to drivers and even take the wheel for that important ‘test drive’.

[Press Release - Hutt City Council - 18 June 2018]

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]

Read Full Article Here

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]