Kathryn Trounson and four others have been on a month-long trip showing off their Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the fifth annual Great EV Road Trip. Photo / Paul Taylor
Kathryn Trounson and four others have been on a month-long trip showing off their Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the fifth annual Great EV Road Trip. Photo / Paul Taylor
If you heard about a car show in Napier on Good Friday you might have got a shock to not have heard any V8s or supercharged motors - or for that matter nothing at all.
The fifth annual Great EV Road Trip made its way into Hawke's Bay on GoodFriday with a gathering of around 11 electric-powered cars on display at Anderson Park in Greenmeadows.
They are on a 31-day trip around New Zealand, which finishes in Auckland on Easter Monday, promoting electric cars to different towns and regions and letting locals test drive some of the vehicles themselves.
Better NZ Trust chairwoman Kathryn Trounson said the event is a way to show people what electric cars are really like from people who use them day in, day out.
"People hear so many myths about EVs from car dealers and other sources, but we come round and like to show that whatever your driving habit or lifestyle, EVs can work for most everyday things," Trounson said.
She said people are amazed at how much power an electric car has and how little power you need to run it.
"We had a few people today (Friday) have a test drive and as soon as they take off they have a surprised look on their face and are shocked at quick and smooth they are to drive."
The trip is being done in completion by three vehicles but Trounson said there had been a lot of people joining them on their journey.
"The entire trip we have had different people from different towns join us along the way for short stints and tomorrow when we head off we will have another eight EVs join us on our trip to Auckland, as we go along the coast up to Gisborne and Tauranga and across to Raglan."
Trounson has owned EVs for the last four years and said she has seen the value and quality of the vehicles improving year after year.
"Each year the cars are getting cheaper because the batteries are getting cheaper and more and more companies are focusing their resources into EV production."
The road trip is run by the Better NZ Trust and supported by the Energy and Efficiency Conservation Authority.
Better NZ is a charitable trust whose mandate is to create environmental, financial and health benefits for all Kiwis through education and by assisting in the adoption of zero carbon renewable technologies.
