Energy provider Mercury is leading the charge to encourage Kiwis to join the electric revolution.
Its Kiss Oil Goodbye campaign is not only highlighting the benefits of electric vehicles (EVs) but reminding people that electric bikes and scooters can also be great choices when it comes to cutting carbon emissions.
Mercury Chief Marketing Officer Julia Jack says they appreciate many people want to do their bit for the environment but buying an EV isn’t always an option for everyone.
“Around 45 per cent of New Zealand’s carbon dioxide emissions come from fossil fuel transport and our research shows that about 80 per cent of people see electric vehicles as the way of the future.
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“But there are still barriers to overcome, such as the cost. While electric cars are much cheaper to run than petrol cars, they can cost more to buy – so using an e-bike or e-scooter is something people might want to consider instead.”
That doesn’t have to mean hanging up the car keys for good: “Even just using an e-bike or e-scooter one day a week will make a difference,” points out Jack. “Every time you leave your petrol vehicle at home, you’re cutting back on carbon emissions.”
New Zealanders are starting to see the appeal of e-bikes and e-scooters. Last year 65,000 were imported; two years before that it was 23,000. The fact they substantially reduce transport costs as well as being better for the planet is a big drawcard.
EECA (the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority) has calculated that the running cost of an electric car is the equivalent of paying about 40c for a litre of petrol (which currently sits at around $2 a litre). An e-bike is even cheaper to run, costing less than 10c to go 50km, according to Mercury.
“That’s a huge saving,” says Jack, backed up by Stats NZ figures which show the average weekly spend on petrol by Kiwi households rose to $48.50 in the year ended June 2019. Other benefits include not having to sit in traffic and avoiding expensive parking fees.
“If you ride an e-bike to work, you don’t arrive all sweaty and exhausted because you are not pedalling so hard,” says Jack, herself a convert to e-bikes. “They’re a lot of fun, and you don’t have to wear lycra!”
Some people may be anxious about whether the bike’s electrical charge will last long enough to get from A to B and back again but many bikes will do between 50-80km on one charge.
“Research shows that the average commute for New Zealanders is around 30kms,” she says. “Bikes will do that easily. Even the e-bikes you can hire will go 50-60km on a charge, so most people will have no problem getting to and from work in a day.
“Then it is just an easy matter of plugging it in at night, like you do with your phone, and charging it up ready to go the next morning.”
Charging EVs, bikes and scooters doesn’t even need to involve installing special charging systems – for most it’s as simple as plugging in with a three-pin plug.
New Zealand’s electricity supply is among the cleanest in the world with about 80 per cent generated from renewable sources. Mercury already generates 100 per cent of their electricity from renewable sources - hydrothermal, geothermal, and soon wind.
Jack says there are many initiatives springing up all over the country that will make e-transport so much easier to access and use. For example, Mercury has partnered with Big Street Bikers, who are on a mission to get more e-bikes on the roads.
They’re enabling on-the-go charging with Locky Docks, kicking off in Christchurch with secure parking and charging docks for e-bikes, e-scooters and normal bikes that are free to use. The Rechargery in the Auckland Viaduct is a solar-powered service station where you can recharge your e-bike or e-scooter on sunshine.
Big Street Bikers have also launched a ride-to-own scheme and even have corporate fleet packages.
“It’s very exciting to see what is happening – it really is a revolution,” says Jack. “It is a matter of changing mindsets and showing people there is something we can do as individuals that has an impact.”
