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EV subscription service expanding

Power company commits cash to growing scheme following a successful two-year pilot.
Posted on 17 December, 2020
EV subscription service expanding

Mercury is investing $6 million to expand its electric vehicle (EV) subscription service and create a fleet of about 450 cars.

The power generation and retailing company plans to add about 50 EVs a month to its current range of 60 vehicles. It is developing the subscription scheme following two years of it running as a pilot in Auckland.

Julia Jack, chief marketing officer, says the move will allow an increasing number of Kiwis to “more easily get behind the wheel of an EV”.

“We’ve spent the last two years watching, testing and learning, and now we’re ready to deliver on a bigger scale,” she explains. 

“Key to this was identifying models that tick the boxes for people in terms of affordability, performance and practicality and the standout during this stage was the Nissan Leaf.”

As a result, Jack says Mercury will focus primarily on late-model Nissan Leafs for initial shipments but hopes to include a wider range of EV models in the future.

The company hopes more than 500 people will use the expanded service in its first year, which it claims could remove 1,020 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the atmosphere.

Kane Bublitz, product and operations manager, says expanding its fleet comes as it struggles to keep up with demand. 

“By adding 50 EVs to our fleet every month we can continue to meet the needs of our subscribers and hopefully help hundreds more people kiss oil goodbye,” he notes.

“The electric revolution is quickly gaining momentum in New Zealand. The government has committed to its agencies converting to electric vehicles, and potential policies such as fleet emissions standards, ‘clean car’ feebate schemes and bans on used fossil fuel vehicle imports are getting more and more airtime. 

“This should be a major signal to manufacturers that we’re ready for a greater variety of EV makes and models at a range of price points.”