Electric island revealed
Electric vehicle (EV) advocacy group, Electric Island Waiheke, has announced a plan to transform Waiheke Island into the world’s first EV-only residential island.
"Waiheke has some of the dearest petrol in New Zealand and this is hurting the most vulnerable families in our community," said Electric Island Waiheke spokesman Vern Whitehead to the NZ Herald.
"Our vision is to transition the island to cheap clean electric energy for all vehicles and equipment by 2030, becoming the first major residential island in the world to achieve this goal.
"Waiheke is tailor-made for EVs with its limited roading network and short distances being travelled by tradies and commuters every day. On Waiheke, the road runs out before your power does."
EVs currently make up around one per cent of the island’s current vehicle fleet.
"Of the 635 new or used EVs registered for the first time in New Zealand last month, a staggering 450 (or more than 70 per cent) were used imported Nissan Leafs from either Japan or the UK.”
"We all know the eco-benefits that having zero-emission, non-polluting vehicles will bring, but our vision is also economic - for Waiheke to have the lowest overall cost of transport in New Zealand."
