EVs marching on, Sexton says

This story first appeared in the April issue of EVtalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

Californian EVangelist Chelsea Sexton has noticed big advances in New Zealand’s EV world since her last Leading the Charge tour in 2016.

“The sheer volume of vehicles (from just over 1000 then to 7233 EVs and hybrids now), and the proliferation of charging stations” are among them, she says.

Sexton was along for the entire nearly 6000km Leading the Charge EV road trip organised by the Better NZ Trust.

It began in Bluff on March 14 and finished in Cape Reinga on April 3, taking in most parts of the country.
About eight EVs made the full trip, joined along sections of the journey by many others.

EV advocate Mark Nixon of Christchurch drove one from Bluff to Hamilton, for instance.

“It was a great adventure,” Sexton says after being chauffeured most of the way by the Better NZ Trust trustee Sean Dick in his Tesla Model S.

Sexton says she finds New Zealanders more accepting of EVs this time around.

“They’re no longer the novelty that they were a couple of years ago. People are not so cautious and many did try out EVs at the stopovers.”

She heard from people who came to previous EV events she was involved with who have since obtained EVs.

“Some have electric bikes too.”

Sexton was in New Zealand in July and August last year to address various events, and has also been here to promote films she’s had a hand in, such as the 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?
Fittingly, she was able to address a gathering for the follow-up Revenge of the Electric Car during the road trip’s Whanganui stop.

A consulting producer for that film, Sexton hosted a question-and-answer session with filmgoers. Proceeds from the event went to Whanganui Green Bikes.

A third film dubbed Generation EV is on the cards.
Sexton says she still hasn’t got an EV herself back in California.

“I don’t drive very much as I can walk or take public transport. Also, I drive a lot of different EVs anyway.”

As she heads back to the United States, Sexton is expecting a fight between the Californian state government and the federal Environmental Protection Agency over its possible adoption of less stringent emissions targets.

US president Donald Trump’s protectionist views are well known, and in his bid to shore up US businesses there’s the likelihood of a trade stoush between the US and China.

That could impact on EV makers like Tesla. The California electric automaker doubled its sales to more than US$2 billion in China last year, but talk of China applying extra tariffs on US goods could prove a major setback.

Tesla is negotiating to assemble cars in China, another project at possible risk.

Sexton says all that could impact on EV availability in other countries such as Norway and England.
Meanwhile, she’s urging New Zealand to “keep going” towards its EV goals, particularly as most of our electricity comes from renewable sources.
“One of the biggest challenges is inconsistency,” she says.

Even during her latest visit, policies seem to keep changing, she says.

Talk of national and regional fuel taxes could favour EVs and she also believes EVs here could become more affordable, especially with Government support.

The highlights of her latest stay have been many.
“A month has gone by very quickly.”

Sexton enjoyed catching up with two French students, Heloise de Bokay and Solene Trinquet, who are doing a seven-month EV tour of New Zealand in a Jucy prototype electric campervan.
The trio met in Nelson during a Leading the Charge stopover in Richmond.

The students are helping establish links between New Zealand and French schools.

Sexton noticed this year that considerable interest was shown by local schools in the Leading the Charge tour. Still more schools could be involved, something she is keen to see on her next Leading the Charge visit.

“I hope to be back as soon as I can.”