KEY POINTS:
The gas-guzzling American Hummer has never been sold on its fuel efficiency, and at a cost of $200 for a tank of fuel, the 15-seat "Hummerzine" is strictly for special occasions.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Ezee electric bike, which uses no fuel and
only a small amount of electricity.
Hummerzine owners Waisake and Adelita Sotutu hire out their yellow stretch Hummer _ which requires a bus licence to drive _ for stag and hen parties, school balls and birthdays. A group of 6-year-olds and a group of 66-year-olds have had birthday parties in the Hummer, which at up to $760 an hour to hire, more than pays its own fuel bill.
Mr Sotutu said the vehicle was not as fuel costly as some might think, making the 658km journey to Wellington on one tank of fuel.
However, he said it would be too expensive to use as a personal car. "If it was a personal car I probably would have sold it by now."
There has been speculation General Motors might sell or close down the Hummer brand as more and more people switch to more fuel-efficient models. In New Zealand, sales of light and small new cars rose by a third in the year to May, with medium-sized hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius growing in popularity.
For those who want to avoid petrol prices altogether, there is the battery-powered electric bike.
While it offers no protection from the weather, an Ezee electric bike uses no petrol or diesel and, according to the manufacturers, costs less than a dollar per battery charge. Seller Anthony Chan, of Kingsland store Team Poynter, said the 250 watt motor gave the rider as much or as little help as they chose. "You use the battery when you get tired or get to a hill. I'm not fit at all but I can ride all the way home (from Kingsland) to Remuera on it," said Mr Chan. Unlike a scooter, the Ezee bike is designed to be peddled. No licence is required and faster models can reach speeds of 30km/h. Three to four hours charging time will give about 15-20km of bicycle travel in Auckland; in flatter cities the battery can last up to 50km.
Mr Chan said the bikes, while not big sellers, were most popular with older and middle-aged riders, students and people from rural areas. One customer who lived rurally had bought an electric bike for his 20km daily commute.
