EV Pride Day on Waiheke Island February 26

Most of the nearly 650 EVs on Auckland’s Waiheke Island will be at its EV Pride Day e-mobility showcase on Sunday February 26, 2023.

The event at the PlaceMakers Waiheke and Waiheke Living carpark from 2.15pm, with organiser Electric Island Waiheke (EIW) changing the date from February 12 after learning of a potential clash of events.

Its inaugural EV Pride Day was held in March 2020, with other annual events cancelled because of COVID concerns.

The second EV Pride Day will also include e-bikes, e-scooters and e-motor cycles.

“Pride Day is an opportunity to allow Waiheke EV owners to feel proud about owning an electrical vehicle and display this satisfaction,” says event co-organiser John Mead.

EV Pride Day aims to create a record of the most EVs assembled in one place on an island and register the result with Guinness World Records.

On arrival drivers will be directed to a dedicated parking place, asked to register their attendance at the register desk, listen to any necessary announcements and drone photography will be taken of assembled EVs.

Drivers will then be invited to drive in convoy from Ostend to Oneroa Village where they will disperse.

Food trucks will be there from 2.15pm, plus prizes and special offers will be available.

EIW is a charitable trust formed in October 2018, as a result of a concerned group of islanders wanting to accelerate EV uptake on the island and get rid of the pollution, noise and cost of diesel and petrol powered engines.

Electric Island Waiheke was officially launched on November 30, 2018, with the goal of making Waiheke fossil-fuel-free by 2030. It is governed by a charitable trust.

Norwegian Electric Vehicle Owners Association secretary general Christina Bu was a special guest at the launch and she challenged Waiheke Island to follow in Norway’s footsteps in the switch to EVs.

Electric Island Waiheke is recognised officially by the Waiheke Local Board and is involved in promoting EVs, e-bikes, e-scooters, solar power and any equipment that does not rely on using fossil fuels.

It’s also working with Big Street Bikers (BSB) to establish Locky Dock e-bike locking and charging stations on the Island and is among the recent roll out of 100.

Nissan Leafs comprise two out of every three EVs on Waiheke, one of the highest percentage penetrations in the world.

Waiheke is also home to eight electric buses and three e-rubbish collection vehicles, plus 11 e-scooters and many e-bikes.

The Electric Island Waiheke database records vehicles seen on Waiheke but registered elsewhere. Hybrids are not regarded as EVs and are not recorded, but plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) such as the Mitsubishi Outlander which can be charged from an outside source are included on the list.

Waiheke also boasts big numbers of Teslas, electric BMWs, Mitsubishis, and Nissan eNV200 vans which are increasingly popular with tradies, as taxis, and with companies and individuals as personal transport.

Other EV brands recorded on Waiheke are Audi, BYD, MG, Mini, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jaguar, Kia, LDV, Mercedes, Renault, Toyota and Volvo.

Email John.Mead@electricisland.co.nz to register for the event.