EVs fleet at retirement village

Free use of electric cars is being offered to residents at a Christchurch retirement village.

The Park Lane Arvida Retirement and Care village at Addington has four new EVs, including two Hyundai Ioniqs and a BMW i3, for residents at its 26 Living Well stage one apartments.

More EVs are planned as a further 50 apartments in the project’s second stage are completed.

A plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD is also available.

Five on-site chargers are provided.

Residents will save on the cost of owning and running cars, so those with driver’s licences can use the EVs provided at any time or even for a weekend away.

“If no car is available then we will provide a vehicle at our cost,” Park Lane sales manager Trish Veronese says.

The EVs will be maintained and serviced by the company which says they are good for the environment and the parking spaces saved means more lifestyle benefits can be offered, like a larger Wellness Centre, more gardens and more shared social areas.

“Not only will you avoid tying your cash up in a car, but you’ll also avoid all the associated running costs,” Park Lane says.

The Christchurch development is expected to provide a blueprint for the company’s future projects.

Arvida Group, one of the country’s largest retirement village operators, has 29 villages with about 4000 residents and is undertaking a building programme reported to cost nearly $600 million in the next seven years.

The Christchurch village’s care facility, including a hospital, was opened by then prime minister John Key in 2013, and a number of former All Blacks, including Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, shared a 10% stake in the village which overlooks the AMI Stadium.

Visit livingwellparklane.co.nz

for more information.