First evworld NZ a success

This story first appeared in the September issue of EVTalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

About 2630 people learned more about the electric vehicle world at the evworld NZ expo in Auckland.

A trade day and conference on September 8 at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau was followed by a free public open day on September 9.

The big turnout in wintery weather delighted event organiser Conferenz.

“We’re stoked,” its sponsorship general manager Dominic Duncan says.
“We have proven that the industry and the wider public were ready for a major dedicated annual big show for all things EV.

“Demand was overwhelming and we were crowded all the time. Feedback is amazing and we can’t wait for next year!’’

About 820 EV rides and drives were taken up across both days and visitors also got to try electric bikes and e-scooters on a closed circuit.
More than 60 trade displays and sponsors featured at New Zealand’s first combined EV industry and public showcase event, a large number relating to e-bikes.

EVtalk’s stand, featuring Scoozzi e-scooters, foldable HaloCity e-bikes and a tiny Renault Twizy car, proved popular with about 600 visitors entering a lucky draw for the e-scooter and e-bike prizes.

Some 595 people took advantage of free public seminars on September 9.
The previous day’s industry conference was well attended with 222 people sitting in on talks and panel discussions around the EV opportunity and challenges.

“Be ready for a sudden tipping point,” international keynote speaker Peter Harrop of IDTechEx told a packed conference opening.
Expanding on the topic “the global outlook for the EVolution”, Harrop urged conference visitors to be prepared.

“EVs will profoundly change the world within the next 20 years.”
Using the smartphone as an example, Harrop says such technology is initially expensive but everyone usually gets one and prices drop.
The changes will affect not just bikes, cars, buses and heavy trucks and machinery either. Aviation and shipping are other key transport modes changing.

Pure electric is the way the world’s going, Harrop says, and he reckons hybrids will eventually come to an end too.

“Forget fuel cell vehicles – using power to make hydrogen to generate electricity is pointless.”

Many EVs will be powered by solar, wind or some other energy source, becoming energy independent vehicles (EIVs), he says.

That, along with increased EV range, will probably avoid the need for a proliferation of charging stations, Harrop says.

EVs are likely reach the 500km range in a few years so most people would just charge their vehicles at source – their home, he believes. Many EVs won’t need a charging station at all.

Warning of the coming impact of EVs on society, Harrop says conventional vehicle sales will collapse, gas stations will close and a wide range of industries will be affected.
“EVs will change the world.”

Pointing to eventual diesel use limitation in major cities worldwide, Harrop says people won’t want to buy a vehicle they cannot use in some places.

Rapidly growing technology will end range anxiety and provide autonomous, multiple-passenger forms of e-mobility, he says.
He predicts the beginning of the end to the ICE age – at least for most auto production – at around 2026-30.

By 2050 many auto leaders will have vanished, EV software and services will provide a bigger market than EV hardware – the EV value market will have increased about seven times to $1.5 billion by 2028 – energy harvesting or regeneration will be a bigger market than batteries and societal changes will result.

Harrop says of the global EVolution: “It is happening.”
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority transport general manager Elizabeth Yeaman spoke about changes in transport being promoted through its low emission vehicles contestable fund, including Foodstuffs’ 28 e-van fleet, Wellington’s electric buses and Waste Management’s e-trucks.

“People get the message EVs are environmentally friendly and about half get the message that EVs are cheaper to run than conventional cars.”
With groups like ChargeNet NZ involved, charging infrastructure is rapidly being established, Yeaman says.

“State Highway 1 will soon be covered the length of the country.”
EV fans can encourage others to test drive an EV or to try renting or car-sharing one, she says.

Vector group chief executive Simon Mackenzie explained how EVs would work with electricity networks, saying owners could even use their EVs to contribute to the grid.

But there’s a need to ensure owners don’t create heavy demand by all plugging in at the same time at night.

With climate change, having EVs contribute to power supply could be useful in dry times when hydro lakes are low, Mackenzie says.
He also talked about recycling batteries and having a trailer of recycled EV batteries which could store power and be used as a generator.
Incentives could be provided to get people not to use power at peak times, with apps telling people the best times to plug in.

Political panels and an OEM/distributor panel talked about policies and opportunities.

After the success of the inaugural evworld event, it’s certain another expo will be held next year.