Carbon neutral e-bike ride to Wellington

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

A group of electric bike riders is on the road from Auckland to Wellington to support reduced carbon use.

The Carbon Neutral Waiheke and Kerikeri members started from Waiheke Island in Auckland on March 23 and aim to be in Wellington around April 16 in time for the Zero Carbon Bill to be introduced to Parliament.

A core group of about four e-bike riders are joined by others along the Tour Aotearoa route covering 1200km and taking about 25 days, with sections including off-road sections like the Hauraki Rail Trail and Waikato River Trail.

“An 84-year-old woman rode with us on the 40km Cambridge to Arapuni ride,” participant and sponsor Christian Hoff-Nielsen of Bikes & Barbers says.

“We’re taking the long way,” he says, adding the main message is that electric vehicles and other low carbon measures can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted.

“We’re riding in a revolution here.”

Hoff-Nielsen says the idea is also to have fun along the way.

“We meet other travellers all the time too.”

He and partner Darleen Tana offered Bikes & Barbers’ solar trailer for charging the bikes, while Inge Bremer and Rolf Mueller-Glodde of Kerikeri provided a camper vehicle with a trailer which includes first-aid gear, among three support vehicles on the ride, including a Nissan Leaf.

“We use e-bikes and push bikes to emit a minimum of CO2,” Mueller-Glodde says.

The Kaitiaki Guardian e-bike ride concept was begun by Lindsay Jeffs of Waiheke Island, who soon found support.

The ride name came about through the Carbon Neutral Trust releasing an educational Dr Suess-style video to help families understand the build-up of CO2 gas in the atmosphere with an eKaitiaki guardian as the main character.

Kaitiaki, in Maori legend, is the guardian of the land, sea and sky.

The video was also an effort to encourage families to use the trust’s free carbon footprint calculator.

Terry and Ali Goodall of Kerikeri, say they’re participating for part of the ride to help raise public awareness about the deepening climate crisis by encouraging every Kiwi to join in creating a solution in as many ways as possible.

“We are focusing on showing Kiwis, and the world, that there are holidays and adventures to be had without the massive carbon cost of air tickets,” Terry says.

The e-bike riders are staying mainly at camping grounds and will make their own way back from Wellington on about April 17.

Visit www.carbonneutraltrust.org.nz for more information.