Plug in to electric vehicles at expo

Buying an electric vehicle steers people on the path towards a greener lifestyle, says an EV advocate speaking in Christchurch this weekend.

Henrik Moller is one of the guest experts at the free EVworld South Public Expo this Saturday at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram from 9am until 5pm. There is a free Trade Day Expo on Friday.

Electric vehicles are like a "green Trojan horse", says advocate Henrik Moller.

The Public Day Expo offers ride and drive experiences for visitors so they can find out what it’s like to get behind the wheel of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) and take an exhaust emission-free spin.

It’s also an opportunity to learn about the future of BEVs and the costs and savings of owning one. Electric bikes, mopeds, scooters and all-terrain vehicles will also be on show.

Professor Moller, an Emeritus Professor at Otago University's Centre for Sustainability and the Company Director of Ecosystems Consultants, says there are many reasons why people buy an electric vehicle.

Only about half of all EV owners are motivated by environmental concerns, he says, with a third hoping to save money and others loving the hi-tech aspect and the fast pick-up which gives the ability to “burn off young guns at the lights”.

“Also, a lot of people love the quiet ride and you do get a lot of older people buying EVs, so there are lots of different reasons for people making the change.”

However, Prof Moller, who has an ecology background, says most EV owners become greener after purchasing their car. “Even if they’ve bought the car for practical reasons, they enjoy it and eventually they start to focus more on the green side of things and become more aware of sustainability. EVs are like a green Trojan horse, they bring environmental concerns into people’s consciousness.”

At present about 2 per cent of new car registrations in New Zealand each month are for low emission vehicles. He predicts huge changes in the way we use transport in the future. “I think there will be a lot of ride sharing and the whole ownership model for EVs is going to change. There will be more focus on having access to a car when you need it rather than the hassle of owning a car and having to keep it registered. People might rent cars for longer trips.”

Exhibitors at this weekend’s EVworld South expo include suppliers of battery electric vehicles, chargers and electricity. There will also be free seminars.

The expo is being supported by Christchurch City Council as a way of promoting battery electric vehicle use, says Resource Efficiency Manager Kevin Crutchley. “We’re very happy to see this expo coming to Christchurch for the first time and we hope it will help answer people’s questions about BEVs and encourage the uptake of these vehicles by business owners and by the public.”

The Council last year researched and led the launch of a city-wide 100 per cent battery electric car sharing scheme for businesses and the public. The Yoogo Share service was launched in February this year and has 100 BEVs available at hubs across the city.

By October this year, people using Yoogo Share's service had saved 50 tonnes of carbon, or the equivalent of over 20,000 litres of petrol being consumed. The company has over 3000 Christchurch members.

Christchurch was named the Most EV Friendly Town of the Year in 2017.