X Ray at EVworld 2019

This story first appeared in the July issue of AutoTalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

A cut-in-half Nissan Leaf has put EV City Christchurch dealership owner Dave Boot firmly on the New Zealand EV map.

Dubbed “X Ray”, the Leaf was cut from boot to bonnet by Boot’s dad, Ran, using a magic marker pen and an angle grinder – the driveable half displayed at functions throughout the country.

It will be in Auckland for a series of events, which includes a guest appearance on The Better NZ Trust stand at EVworld 2019 at the ASB Showgrounds from August 1-3.

EV City has also been selected as an EVworld 2019 Champions Awards EV Sales and Service Award finalist, the winners announced on the first evening.

The idea for X Ray was to show people where items such as the battery (perspex covered for safety) are located and what they look like.

Then crash responders took an interest as they can see from X Ray how to safely deal with a smashed EV.

“We’ve had more than 150 firefighters through here in the past one-and-a-half months,” Boot says.

X Ray has also been popular at schools too, helping educate staff and students about EV-related matters.

It’s featured in events such as a Hutt City Council tech fair, an EVolocity outing where students race their own two to four-wheel EV creations, and at a Hamilton EV day at Hampton Downs.

“X Ray was never designed as a promotional vehicle,” Boot says.Yet that’s exactly what it has become.

“It’s become both priceless and worthless.”

The half Leaf has its own waterproof cover and can be driven on and off trucks transporting it to events around the country.

Once X Ray has finished its Auckland sojourn it will return to Christchurch and then head to Dunedin for more events.

The sawed-off Leaf is not the only EV attraction in Boot’s Sydenham showroom – he also has a restored two-seater 1903 London Electromobile Syndicate (LEMS) there.

“It’s the oldest working EV in the country,” Boot says proudly.

Boot has been in the automotive industry for 18 years.
Before EV City, he worked in a range of dealerships that sold a few EVs.

“What got me into was the customers,” Boot says.

“Customers were interested about EVs and wanted to know more about the product and knew about the product more than the staff in most cases.

“That’s when I realised there was a gap there.”

By not having a sales commission structure, Boot and his team can give honest advice to lead people to what they can buy.

“There’s no tricks, no hard sell, hard close,” Boot says.

“There’s no pressure.Salespeople are not incentivised to sell cars.A customer will come through the doors more than once.There are so many touch points with a customer – you meet them three or four times before they decide to buy.
Who’s to say who sold the car?”

Boot says this holistic approach sits well with the customers, and salespeople like the structure.

Each EV owner on the road is, in effect, a sales representative.

The more information they have and the more excited they are, the more likely they will go out and actively sell the product.

Arming customers with the correct information is essential, and to do that, it’s about spending time making sure they know absolutely everything, Boot believes.

EV City has six staff, but previously it was just Boot and his dad manning the store and doing everything for eight months.

“Buying cars, selling cars.

I spend most of my day talking to customers,” Boot says when asked what he does all day.

Customers ask the same questions – what about the batteries, what’s the range, what do I need to spend, how long do the batteries last for?
Boot says there’s a different answer for every customer.

“Selling an electric vehicle is like fitting someone for a suit.
You have to ask them enough questions to make sure you’re giving them the right product.”

Boot says he wants to give customers confidence in what they’ve bought and a true understanding of why they did it.

As Christchurch is very central and flat, it’s ideal for owning an EV, he says.

“Christchurch is the best place in New Zealand to have an EV, in my opinion.”

It’s sometimes difficult for people to get their heads around owning an EV.

“People are used to buying a $10,000 car and spending $3000 on fuel,” Boot says.

“Consulting people about EVs is a bit like being their financial adviser.”

He reckons it would be cheaper to buy an EV than to continue to buy petrol.

“If you spend $100 a week on petrol, that’s $5200 for petrol a year.”

Boot sees the future as less individual vehicle ownership and more renting of vehicles (car or ride share), especially for urban residents.

You can catch Boot and X Ray at EVworld on Friday, August 2 at The Better NZ Trust stand.