Electric Cars the Way of the Future

Electric Cars the Way of the Future

Germany is about to launch an incentive to boost local sales of electric and hybrid vehicles. The government has so far joined forces with Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler to implement rebates for electric car buyers – the equivalent of NZD$6,600 for electric cars and NZD$4,950 for plug-in hybrids. The aim is to lift the number of electric cars on German roads from the current 50,000 to 1 million by 2020, in an effort to match growing numbers in other big European countries. Most Western countries now offer incentives for electric cars as a way to make good on Paris climate change commitments.

Sigurd Magnusson, from The Better New Zealand Trust, helped organise a fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles drive the length of New Zealand, stopping and displaying the cars in many places, including Wellington the weekend before last.

“A lot of New Zealanders don’t know about electric cars, so we want to make them visible and get people behind the steering wheel so they can see what they’re like. They’re fast, quiet, economical and allow New Zealanders to significantly reduce CO2 emissions. We have 141 electric cars in Wellington and 1124 in New Zealand and we expect that market to grow. It’s not just individuals that should be looking to invest in the technology, it’s businesses too”, he said.

Mr. Magnusson, together with the local electricity lines company, Wellington Electricity, will be displaying a fully electric car at the Wellington Better Home & Living Show, which runs 6-8 May at the Westpac Stadium. For three days, over 200 exhibitors will gather at the Stadium to showcase what’s new in home and lifestyle improvement.

Show director, Daniel Joll says, “We pride ourselves on attracting the latest home and lifestyle innovations to the show. We’re delighted to have electric and hybrid cars on display, along with a whole host of other clever products like electric bikes that fold up and fit in your boot and kids’ electric dirt bikes that don’t have any hot exhausts. There will also be gardening, solar solutions, bee keeping, plus the staples like heating, kitchens, bathrooms, home décor, furniture – and everything in between.”

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