Electric vehicle symposia on next week

Electric vehicles will be up for debate next week, with New Zealand’s first Plug-In Electric Vehicle Symposia being held in Auckland and Wellington.

Rob McEwen, executive director of the Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles (APEV),which is running the event, says there is a strong case for electric vehicles as the future of New Zealand’s transport fleet.

“While most homeowners are now aware of how energy efficiency can lower their monthly energy bills, car owners have not even begun to realise how inefficient their petrol cars are,” says McEwen. “As much as 90% of the electricity used to power an electric vehicle is used to make the car move, compared to 25% of energy used by petrol cars. At the same time, one of the most immediate issues facing motorists today is the price of petrol.”

“Electricity is that alternative and New Zealand can reap the benefits of electric vehicles in a way most other countries can’t, due to our abundance of renewable and available electricity,” says McEwen. “Electric vehicles are cheaper to run, cheaper to maintain and are great for New Zealand’s environment and ‘clean green’ reputation.”

Questions to be discussed include:

What should our cities do to prepare?

How can electric vehicles benefit our business?

And are there opportunities for NZ Inc. to participate in what many believe will be a global growth industry?”

Symposia key note speaker is Kiwi ex-pat Ed Kjaer, now director of plug in vehicle readiness at Southern California Edison and named by Automotive News as one of the most influential people leading industry towards a more electric powered transportation future.

Kjaer praises New Zealand for recognising the potential of electric vehicles.

“Unlike many parts of the world, New Zealand’s electricity is very clean as it is generated by hydro, geothermal and wind energy,” Kjaer says. “Transportation and, more importantly, the country will really benefit from EVs connecting to this clean electricity because expensive imported oil will be replaced with home grown Kiwi power.”

The symposia bring together key national and global players in the electric vehicle industry for the first time in New Zealand, including government, motor industry and electricity sector representatives, corporate leaders and academics.

The event will be held at The Cloud on Auckland’s waterfront and the Wellington Civic centre on November 22 and 23 respectively, from 9am to 5.30pm.