Cleveland showgrounds, in Brisbane’s East, was the site for the gathering of nearly one hundred electric vehicles on Sunday, September 26, in what appears to be the biggest gathering of EVs in Australia, and quite possibly the southern hemisphere.
The range of electric cars at the EV experience was astonishing. It included the better known passenger brands, and also an electric Volgren bus from Translink, a hydrogen powered Hyundai from Q Fleet, electric bikes, electric trikes, an electric camper van and even a solar powered racer.
Many supporting technologies were also represented – batteries, chargers and rescue vehicles.
This last was an innovative company staffed by 3 enthusiastic young men from Zimbabwe. If you are enjoying your parmi at a restaurant and realize: “Hh my gosh, I forgot to charge my car!” They will bring their van equipped with a generator to give you a top up. All for a monthly subscription, of course.
All vehicles attracted groups of inquisitive members of the public. As one group finished asking questions, the next group arrived. Thousands must have passed through the site – wandering the field, walking through the pavilion, taking up the offer of a ride along or trying out the electric dirt bikes.
The vast majority of the vehicles were sedans, and the vast majority of those were Tesla Model 3’s. There were a couple of conversions, an old VW beetle and a relatively new Audi. There was a relatively rare Volt hybrid, a smattering of Ioniqs and Kona’s, a Porsche, a MiEV and of course Tesla 3s of all sorts of colors.
We were fortunate to park next to Nathan Merritt, of Ride4U and his new Tesla 3, and so were able to discuss the improvements that have been made in the two years since we bought our car. There was no FUD, just a thirst for information and genuine curiosity from the car buying public.
At the end of the day as people were packing up and leaving my thoughts were that over the next few years this scene would change. Many different vehicles would be on display, perhaps not so many Teslas. Certainly more European and Chinese vehicles. Hopefully a lot of utes and trucks.
David Waterworth is a researcher and writer, a retired teacher who divides his time between looking after his grandchildren and trying to make sure they have a planet to live on. He owns 50 shares of Tesla.
David Waterworth is a researcher and writer, a retired school teacher who continues to provoke thought through his writing. He divides his time between looking after his grandchildren and trying to make sure they have a planet to live on. He is long on Tesla.