The TrusTed voice of The auTo indusTry for more Than 25 years
www.autofile.co.nz
February 2017
Joining forces to boost electric vehicle uptake Energy providers are joining forces with petrol companies to increase the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in New Zealand.
G
ull New Zealand the future may hold for has joined forces fuelling options, be it with Mighty increasing uptake of Gull’s River Power, the supplier existing biofuel blends of its EV charging unit, and electricity, provided launching its first charging it’s sourced primarily from station in 2015. renewable feedstocks, Charge.net.nz or electricity generation,” (Chargenet) entered the he says. market, installing six However, opinions rapid-charge EV stations in vary over EVs being a Auckland, Wellington and viable alternative to Gull has teamed with Mighty River Power to produce Christchurch. Currently it petrol and diesel-fuelled charging stations like this one on the North Shore has 31 active stations and vehicles. needs of our customers, whatever 11 more under construction. Vinsen says an EV leadership More partnerships and charging they might be”. group is researching the barriers David Vinsen, CEO of the IMVIA, unit installations have followed. to change. Known barriers include agrees. He says most oil companies education and information (to the “The sooner we get more fast will be working along similar lines. chargers around the country, the trade and public), training, vehicle “I believe that we will see them sooner we can enable the spread of and charging standards, charging transition from oil company to EVs. These vehicles are going to be infrastructure, the availability transport energy company, to a game changer for New Zealand of suitably priced stock, and EV transport service provider. They all by lowering emissions and saving access to bus lanes in peak traffic. see EVs as being a significant part people money,” says Charge.net.nz He says the reluctance to move of their future.” director Steve West. from petrol-powered vehicles to Gull retail development and Z sustainability manager Gerri EVs mainly lies in the hands of the sustainability manager Karl Ward has gone as far as saying that Z consumer. Mischewski says EVs will become was not an oil company but instead A spokesperson for the Ministry common place. “a transport energy company and of Transport told Autofile, the main “We are excited about what we’re committed to meeting the barriers to EV uptake are range
Specialised training that’s proven to increase profits p 6
Biggest recall in motoring history p 10
China largest EV producer
Latest HSV’s unveiled p 12
p 22
Where are all of New Zealand’s electric vehicles?
[continued on page 4]
GLOBAL VEHICLE LOGISTICS NZ - JAPAN - AUSTRALIA - UK - EUROPE