Good infrastructure is seen as essential to the promotion of EV sales and use in NZ. 

image PAUL SHERLEY/BMW NZ

[David Linklater - Stuff - 30 Jan 2019]

The latest round of the Government's Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund has once again thrown the spotlight on New Zealand's charging infrastructure.

The fund, which provides up to $7 million per year to contribute up to half of project costs to promote the uptake of Electric Vehicles (EVs), named Ngai Tahu Tourism as one of its recipients.

Partnering with ChargeNet, Ngai Tahu will install DC fast chargers at key tourist spots including Franz Josef Glacier, Queenstown and Glenorchy.

Sylvia Wilson drove around Australia in an electric car. It cost her $150.90.

Wilson, 70, a retired farmer from near Biloela in central Queensland, had planned the trip of a lifetime with her husband, Rod. One impulsive evening in mid-2016 they went online and, sight-unseen, bought a Tesla S75 electric car for the journey.

A few months after Rod died last year, Sylvia announced to her family: “I think I’ll do that trip.

“Most of them were really keen. A couple of them said ‘you’re mad, you’ll never do it’,” Wilson told Guardian Australia.

[The Guardian - 11 Sept 2018]

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]

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]

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.

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[Christine Allen - Northlanders - 5 April 2018]

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]

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.

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[Northland Age - 29th March 2018]

An electric vehicle fast charger is opening in Kaitaia at 11am on Wednesday the 4^th 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]

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]

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