Frankton Thunder features EVs

Electric vehicle owners (from left) Dave Gibson, Justin Boyd and Greg Lindstrom with the, Nissan Leaf, TeslaX and BMW i3. Photo / Geoff Lewis

Electric vehicles could well be the way to an emissions-free future and Frankton Lightning, an exhibition of electric vehicles, will be part of the Frankton Thunder automotive event in March.

The display is organised by electric vehicle owner Justin Boyd, the local representative of the EV Association of Aotearoa.

The Hamilton architect runs a 2015 BMW i3 rated at 22kWh which he has owned for a few years.

In the period he estimates he has travelled 30,000km and the electric BMW has saved him the equivalent of $6000 in petrol.

A planned centrepiece will be a display of vehicles from the leading-edge Tesla company.

An example will be the 2017 TeslaX owned by Aucklander Greg Lindstrom. Six months ago Lindstrom took the opportunity to by the 2017 model for $130,000 — new price was $160,000.

The gull-wing TeslaX is festooned with sensors, GPS, radar, lidar, G3 internet, and can drive itself.

"You don't have to steer. It is particularly good on the motorway. It's a better driver than I am. But you can't go to sleep. Wherever the lanes split it will get confused. and it won't see parked objects."

The range of electric vehicles is improving with the development in battery technologies. The Tesla can go from Auckland to Wellington with two recharges.

The two-tonne 75kWh Tesla is 4WD. Its performance is eye-watering. Smoking the tyres is a risk, Lindstrom said.

"In 'launch' mode it will crouch down and go from 0 to 100km in 2.9 seconds. It gives you a really tight feeling in the pit of your stomach."

Fellow association member Hamilton-based flight instructor Dave Gibson will bring along his 2014 Nissan Leaf. A Japanese import, the Leaf has keyless entry, air conditioning, heated seats and airbags. Its range on a charge is about 140km.

"It's a good entry-level EV, especially for people who do most of their driving commuting. If you're patient and plan ahead it's a great car."

Frankton Thunder on Sunday, March 10 includes the Thunder Cruize-in, leaving from the Cambridge raceway Taylor St Cambridge 8.30am.

On display in Frankton will be the famous Britten Motorcycle, classics, customs, rods and bikes, drag machines, EVs and military, Miss Frankton Thunder retro fashion and swimwear, ThunderInk tattoo competition, photorama, music, displays and market.