The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
There are a lot of cool EVs out there, but Christchurch International Airport has the coolest one in the country - and cackling man-child Mike Casey got to experience it recently.
The airport took possession of the country's first electric firetruck last year and, as head of fire service operations Tim Evans says, the impressive Rosenbauer machine has a number of different electric motors and a backup diesel engine that allows it to run for a total of ten hours.
Speed is of the essence when it comes to responding to incidents and it can do 0 - 80 km/h in 25 seconds. That might not seem fast when compared with modern EVs that can do 0 - 100 in 3 seconds, but it is much quicker than the old diesel vehicle that it replaced.
The electric version also offers other benefits in terms of operations. Having no chassis means there is much more space, which allows the team to get into their kit in the vehicle and then get out quickly; four-wheel steering means it can turn on a dime ("try and do that in a normal fire truck"); electric mirrors ensure it's safe to exit before they open the door; and the pump and roll feature means it can spray water while moving, which older firetrucks find difficult to do.
Another bonus: despite pumping out a 3,000 litres of water a minute, it is basically silent in the cab.
While Evans says there were some more conservative types in the organisation who weren't sure it was a good idea to go electric, the staff love using it and another even bigger electric firetruck is on its way soon.
"We really do like this vehicle" - which is a very common response to electric equivalents, no matter which end of the size spectrum you're at.
And, with the massive Kōwhai Park solar farm going up on the other side of the runway, those cheap local electrons will soon be powering more of their machines.
'Twas the night before Chris-mas, and all through the house, all the voters were stirring, the pundits showing their nous … the election will soon be over, but the energy crisis won't, so we'll be there to pester whoever is in power about the need to run more of the economy on New Zealand-made energy; can Ethiopia's aggressive push for EVs work and how does New Zealand compare in terms of adoption rates?; a two-way charging trial from Genesis shows promise in Auckland, but there's still a way to go before it's mainstream; small electric vehicles are often overlooked when it comes to electrifying transport, but it's hard to miss this weird French one; a solar-powered cafe (and some electric coffee); and we endorse the political vandalism of Keith of All Trades.
Read moreDownloadPoliticians are being urged to adopt stronger electric vehicle incentives ahead of the election. Climate and energy advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa is arguing that EVs are one of the most effective long-term solutions for rising transport and energy costs. They're promoting an EV Salary Boost proposal, which would allow workers to access EVs through pre-tax salary arrangements – similarly to already existing schemes in the UK and Australia. Policy and Government Relations Spokesperson Ngaio Neumegen told Kerre Woodham that even with the rising cost of power, it's still cheaper to run an EV than a car running on imported fuel.
A proposal that would let New Zealanders lease an electric car using their before-tax pay has not won a commitment from either National or Labour, with the 7 November election days away. Under the EV Salary Boost, put forward by Rewiring Aotearoa and Drive Electric, an employee would lease a new or used EV for three to five years. The payments would come out of their pay before tax, lowering the cost of running the car. The idea is based on Australia’s novated leasing system, though the groups say they are not proposing a direct copy.
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