Polestar 5 and Zeekr 9X make public NZ debut at EV & Tech Expo

The Polestar 5 is on public display in New Zealand for the first time at the inaugural NZ EV & Tech Expo, which opened at Auckland Showgrounds on Friday.

It is one of several models making their first public appearance in the country at the show. Others include the Zeekr 9X and 7GT, the Polestar 4 and Subaru’s Trailseeker. Subaru also has the Uncharted on its stand, though the model is yet to be confirmed for New Zealand.

Many of the cars on display can also be driven. Visitors can book test drives of 15 to 20 minutes on a dedicated route next to the showgrounds, with Geely, Tesla, BYD, Kia, Toyota, Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr, Honda, Subaru, GWM, GAC, Denza, Leapmotor, Dongfeng and BAIC among the brands offering drives.

EVs and Beyond’s Richard Edwards and Gavin Shoebridge, hosts of The EV Guys podcast, also took questions from visitors on the BYD stand.

The three-day show is organised by BWK Group and runs until Sunday, November 15. It brings together electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, charging and energy suppliers, robotics and EV finance providers. Hybrids are also on display.

Other vehicle brands listed for the show include Lotus, smart, Omoda Jaecoo, Chery, Arcfox, JAC, Farizon and LandKing.

Geely is the title sponsor. Its brand manager, Jordan Haines, says the company is committed to electrifying New Zealand’s future by bringing accessible vehicles to market at price parity with ICE models.

“We are proud to partner with the NZ EV & Tech Expo to lead the discussions of EVs in New Zealand and show that our electrified vehicle range is the perfect fit for New Zealanders,” says Haines.

Steven Lin, the expo’s founder and director, says the event was set up to help buyers make sense of a fast-growing market.

“There has never been more choice for New Zealanders looking at an electric vehicle, or more to make sense of. We created the NZ EV & Tech Expo so people can step out from behind their screens, get behind the wheel, compare the options side by side and have their questions answered by experts, all in one place,” says Lin.

The stage programme covers battery safety and technology, charging, the cost of owning an EV compared with a petrol vehicle, advanced driver assistance systems, vehicle finance, and government support and charging infrastructure.

There is also a technology zone with Unitree humanoid robots, Hypershell exoskeletons and Pudu service robots, along with charging and home energy displays.

The show is open from 10.30am to 5.30pm. Tickets are available through evtechexpo.co.nz.