EV road trip starts in March

This story first appeared in the March issue of Evtalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

The biggest event on New Zealand’s EV calendar drives off this month.

For the fifth year running, a convoy of EVs will travel the length of the country, spreading the word about EVs and providing a series of gathering points for EV communities and enthusiasts over about 31 days.

Starting in Rotorua on March 28, the #LeadingTheCharge Great EV Road Trip visits 30 towns and cities, travelling through the South Island from April 2 (Nelson) and back up through the North Island to finish at Cape Reinga on about April 27.

International EV advocate Chelsea Sexton of California returns to attend many of the 40 events and will be available to answer any EV questions.

She was involved in the movies Who Killed the Electric Car and Revenge of the Electric Car, the films showing at special events in Christchurch and Dunedin with Sexton on hand to answer queries.

The road trip is different this year.

Rather than a bottom to top run, this one is more like a figure eight taking in both coasts and covering at least 4250km.

The event is run by the Better NZ Trust, supported by the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA).

Better NZ is a charitable trust which aims to create environmental, financial and health benefits for all New Zealanders through education, and by assisting in the adoption of zero carbon renewable energy technologies.

The trust is focusing on actively supporting the growth of a vibrant EV community in New Zealand and the road trip is its biggest event.

Chairperson Kathryn Trounson says The Great EV Road Trip has become a popular annual fixture for EV owners and enthusiasts nationwide and, importantly, for people who don’t own an EV but would like to know more.

“It is a fun and easy way for people to find out everything they ever wanted to know about electric vehicles and to get a chance to drive or ride in a variety of EVs for free.

“We love it when people experience one for the first time because their response is typically ‘wow, that’s amazingly quiet and smooth’,” she says.

Some, like trustee Sean Dick in his Tesla S, travel almost the entire distance, while hundreds more are expected to join in at the stops and events.

Looking forward to his fourth EV road trip (he missed the first one), Dick says it’s great to meet so many enthusiastic people along the way.

He says EV interest and demand continues to grow with “exciting things on the horizon”.

While his first EV road trip required considerable work to organise charging, this year he hasn’t had to do that because the charging infrastructure is now largely in place.

Trounson says the Great EV Road Trip will be visiting large and small centres and has extended its reach into several previously unvisited smaller towns because greatly improved battery storage technologies, coupled with an expanding nationwide charging network, mean EVs can now go anywhere in New Zealand.

“Range is no longer an issue.”

Trounson encourages EV owners to attend events.

“Come along and join in the fun!”

The itinerary includes Rotorua (March 28), Taupo (March 30), Kapiti coast (March 31), Nelson (April 2), Westport (April 3), Wanaka (April 4), Te Anau (April 5), Blackmount/Otautau (April 7), Alexandra (April 8), Mosgiel (April 9), Dunedin (April 10), Oamaru (April 12), Kurow (April 12), Tekapo (April 12), Geraldine (April 13), Methven (April 13), Christchurch (April 14), Lyttleton (April 14), Sumner (April), Blenheim (April 16), Masterton (April 17), Palmerston North (April 18), Napier (April 19), Gisborne (April 20), Tauranga (April 21), Hamilton (April 22), Auckland (April 24), Dargaville (April 25), Whangarei (April 25), Kerikeri (April 26), Cape Reinga (April 27).

Visit https://www.leadingthecharge.org.nz/2019greatevroadtrip, Twitter @LTCBetterNZ or Facebook @LeadingTheCharge for more information.