Minister puts EVs on agenda
More electric and even driverless cars may be seen on New Zealand’s roads in the near future if Simon Bridges’ vision comes to fruition. The Minister of Transport is hoping to engage companies developing electric vehicle (EV) technology at the three-day International Transport Forum Summit in Germany. The annual gathering of the world’s transport ministers and top industry players was being held in Leipzig this week, while New Zealand takes over the presidency of the forum this year. Bridges believes this country could lead the way when it comes to EV technology. “We are one of the most EV-ready countries in the world,” he says. “That’s the right phrase though, ‘ready’, and what we need is more companies bringing their vehicles here.” While in Germany, Bridges has the chance to visit BMW’s Leipzig plant, which makes its i3 and i8 EV range. There are about 630 fully electric or hybrid-electric cars registered in New Zealand, with the minister commissioning research to project how that may change. He believes this country can handle an upsurge in EVs given a high percentage of the nation’s electricity comes from renewable sources. “Your average Kiwi can drive their EV into their garage and plug it in overnight, ready to go in the morning,” he told The Dominion Post. Compared with countries such as the US and Australia, New Zealanders drive less – about 33km a day on average. This means EVs are well-suited to most of the country’s travel requirements. Another area Bridges is keen to learn more about is developments around driverless cars and remotely piloted aircraft. Also known as drones, the latter are already being used commercially in New Zealand for activities such as search and rescue, crop spraying, photography and aerial mapping. He says: “New Zealand has the capacity to have something of a leadership role in this area.”
