Changes to Melbourne 2020 EV Vision

A more “pandemic sensitive” format is planned by the Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) for its ‘2020 EV Vision’ event in Melbourne, initially scheduled for October 9-11.

It was intended to showcase hundreds of EVs and related services, the expo expected to pull in 10,000 or more people daily, including the Friday conference and awards evening.

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of large public gatherings for the foreseeable future, AEVA is now moving the conference section to an online format, plus introducing a new and “COVID-friendly” EV showcase called the EVeco Tour.

The new Australian EV event series will run alongside the 10th annual Drive Electric Week

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The conference, now planned for September 25, promises to be even bigger than previously intended through the ability to ‘virtually’ bring in a greater range of national and international speakers, AEVA says.

With around four streams and other virtual chat room type functions, attendees from throughout Australia and even the world will be able to participate.

They can listen, watch and ask questions about the latest EV world news, plans, experiences and policies, as well as book short, one-on-one online discussions with EV experts and owners.

The second major part of the original EV Vision event was the EV Expo at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

In lieu of a static event and crowds attending, AEVA now plans to take the expo (at least the long-range electric car and light commercial van components) onto the road to show to the public that EVs are the vehicle of choice for quiet, emission free comfort.

Called the EVeco Tour, it will be a six-day escorted and supported battery electric vehicle (BEV) tour group, travelling through East Gippsland and southern NSW.

The EVeco Tour from September 27 to October 2 is intended to assist new EV owners to learn the ins and outs of long-range EV driving and charging. It will also be an example of how to safely return to travel in the COVID-19 era while seeing the spring growth in some of the bushfire affected regions, AEVA says.

More announcements about the Victorian EV Vision event and Australian Drive Electric Week are expected.