First EVworld South’s success delights organisers

The inaugural EVworld South electric vehicle expo and conference in Christchurch attracted an estimated 2500 visitors on November 23 and 24.

Although official attendance figures have yet to come in, that interest and other aspects of the EV event have pleased Conferenz which organised it at the Wigram Air Force Museum.

About 425 drivers tested a variety of EVs on the Wigram aerodrome runway, doing about 1000 trips.

“It was a superb show for the South Island community and went better than initially expected,” Conferenz sponsorship general manager Dominic Duncan says.

He says the Christchurch City Council was a major driver of the expo, and that Conferenz hopes to organise another similar event in the future.

“We’ve asked for feedback from exhibitors and visitors,” Duncan says.

He says displays were impressive, especially EV City’s cutaway Nissan Leaf, the Hyundai NZ stand and Orion’s offering.

Four vintage EVs dating back to 1903 gave a different dimension to the show, Duncan adds.

The November 23 trade day included free seminars relating to EVs and a conference called Net Carbon Neutral Towns.

“At 9.30am on the Saturday the rain stopped and the ride and drive queues were packed out through to 4.30pm,” Duncan says.

About 42 two to four-wheeled EVs made by students were put through their paces in the EVolocity national finals the same day.

Saturday’s events featured on TV One news that night as the “latest and greatest” in electric transport.

Planning is now turning to the third Auckland EVworld NZ event on August 2 and 3 at the ASB Showgrounds, which Duncan expects will be bigger and better than ever.