‘Get high on electrons’

While electric wheels are on the ascendancy, electric planes are proving to be a tougher nut to crack, but there is plenty of momentum. 

The New Zealand Air Ambulance Service recently placed a deposit on two ALIA eVTOL aircrafts manufactured by BETA Technologies, the same US company Air New Zealand is working with on its regional electric fleet ambitions. 

“New Zealand’s largest air ambulance and specialized air charter operator will utilize the all-electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to conduct air ambulance and patient transport operations across the country beginning in 2028.”

The deal includes the option of buying another 10 planes. 

We also spotted a post recently from Electric Air's Gary Freedman showing New Zealand’s first electric plane charging up at Christchurch airport.

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As the site says: “The Pipistrel Alpha Electro is a two seat composite aircraft designed for pilot flight training. Running on pure electrons, it can be charged and flown without burning fossil fuels and is around 70% quieter than a combustion engine equivalent. ElectricAir provides trial flights and pilot training from our base at Rangiora Airfield and Christchurch Airport. 

If you want your plane to run forever, the Solar Impulse project showed that could be done after going right around the world, despite many people telling the main brains Bertrand Picard that it would be impossible. 

Judging by this teaser video released last year, something exciting this way flies.

Economics vs politics

As we’ve said many times before, economics tends to win out over politics eventually and that’s why solar and EVs are gaining so much traction. But humans are emotional creatures and it’s not all about the economics. 

The products and brands we choose are also signals to others and, as the Financial Times reported recently, there is a group of Tesla owners who feel uncomfortable about Elon Musk’s politics. That’s led to increasing sales of bumper stickers like ‘anti Elon Tesla Club’ or ‘I bought this before Elon went crazy’. 

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Tesla has undoubtedly played a massive role in the transition to electric vehicles and is by far the biggest selling EV brand in the US, New Zealand and most other places. It has traditionally been viewed as a ‘liberal’ brand, but that has changed recently due to Musk’s support of Trump and various political beliefs. Its sales dipped last year for the first time in 12 years.

Let's hope that this is all part of Musk's strategy to move into a new target market and show a new group of customers the benefits of EVs.

Toyota's telling off

Speaking of car brands getting political, Toyota was once seen as a leader on the environmental front after the release of the Prius in 1997 but it has been publicly shamed in an in-depth piece by Public Citizen called Driving Denial: How Toyota’s Unholy Alliance with Climate Deniers Threatens Climate Progress.

The story details Toyota's support of climate denying politicians in the US, its fight against various environmental policies and its focus on old petrol and hybrid technology and hydrogen rather than EVs.  

Its sales are still strong and it is still the biggest manufacturer in the world, but as the story says:

Toyota doubtless has a greater concern: EV adoption is proceeding so rapidly that it may be impossible for an automaker that makes so few EVs to remain a market-leader in sales. Hence Toyota’s need to slow EV adoption by any means necessary — including by supporting aggressive climate deniers ... In twenty years, how will the world think of Toyota? Will it become the next Kodak or Blockbuster? Will it become a relic of the past, a cautionary tale for industry giants that refuse to adapt? Will Toyota continue to make dirty, polluting vehicles and align itself with climate deniers in a futile effort to hold onto the past for a bit longer? Or will it instead embrace the urgent, imminent future of electric vehicles? We shall know soon.

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Keep it in the family

In a similar but more satirical vein to the above story, it’s tough being a family-owned oiled company these days and a short-form series called Cobell Energy tells the story of a company that’s “battling against innovation, activists, and each other as they destroy the planet to protect their own interests”. 

All together now

As an exposed set of islands sitting on the ring of fire, New Zealand is one of the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters and we’ve seen plenty of them in recent years, from big earthquakes to huge cyclones. 

When there are emergencies, we need safe places to go and marae often play that role. Increasingly, they’re being fitted out with solar arrays and batteries to ensure they can provide power when needed. 

The Taihoa Marae in Wairoa is one of those places. Working alongside the marae and Wairoa District Council, Freenergy designed a system to support the total energy load during extended grid outages. The solar system generates power to run all loads and charge the batteries, ensuring 24/7 power when it’s needed most.

Māniaroa Marae north of Mōkau and the Taarewaanga Marae in Ōtorohanga have also had solar installed, while other large buildings like Headwaters in Glenorchy are also set up to house (and power) members of the community in the event of an emergency. 

Solar and batteries offer resilience from price increases, but they also offer resilience during and after disasters, as Owen's Cyclone Gabrielle story shows.