1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast 2 00:00:10,573 --> 00:00:11,693 Speaker 1: from News Talks a B. 3 00:00:12,813 --> 00:00:17,973 Speaker 2: Right now, our sustainability commentator Kate Hall aka Ethically Kate 4 00:00:18,053 --> 00:00:23,373 Speaker 2: is with us this morning. Killeder, what I love that story. Thanks? Wow, Yeah, 5 00:00:23,413 --> 00:00:29,293 Speaker 2: I like half of it all ahead of you exactly exactly. 6 00:00:29,333 --> 00:00:30,293 Speaker 3: I feel more prepared. 7 00:00:30,573 --> 00:00:34,733 Speaker 2: Yeah, what I have. What I have not mentioned is 8 00:00:34,773 --> 00:00:38,893 Speaker 2: that I actually took photographic evidence of both elements, both 9 00:00:38,933 --> 00:00:41,453 Speaker 2: parts of that story. But you know, I've been going 10 00:00:41,453 --> 00:00:44,373 Speaker 2: into the air brakes and showing Libby, my producer, the 11 00:00:44,373 --> 00:00:47,053 Speaker 2: photographic evidence because I feel like when I say he 12 00:00:47,173 --> 00:00:50,093 Speaker 2: managed to propel you know what across like a meter 13 00:00:50,173 --> 00:00:52,573 Speaker 2: of open territory and on the walls that people think 14 00:00:52,613 --> 00:00:57,893 Speaker 2: I'm exaggerating. I am not exaggerating. I am being one literal. Anyway, 15 00:00:58,173 --> 00:01:00,253 Speaker 2: you might have to send me the pick. I don't know. 16 00:01:00,253 --> 00:01:02,653 Speaker 2: You gotta be careful what you wish for, but like 17 00:01:02,693 --> 00:01:05,693 Speaker 2: I say, the smile and just you know, oh my gosh, 18 00:01:05,893 --> 00:01:09,853 Speaker 2: just everything out's away. It's amazing. Anyway, you have been 19 00:01:09,893 --> 00:01:12,213 Speaker 2: over the last couple of months traveling around the country 20 00:01:12,373 --> 00:01:16,373 Speaker 2: in an EV so just I want to hear how 21 00:01:16,413 --> 00:01:18,133 Speaker 2: it's been. I want to hear the ups and the downs. 22 00:01:18,173 --> 00:01:20,693 Speaker 2: I want you to be totally honest about the limitations 23 00:01:21,013 --> 00:01:24,053 Speaker 2: of Tuesday and EV for a nationwide trip. But just 24 00:01:24,093 --> 00:01:26,493 Speaker 2: recap us. How how far have you traveled? Where have 25 00:01:26,533 --> 00:01:26,813 Speaker 2: you been? 26 00:01:28,133 --> 00:01:32,173 Speaker 3: So we started in Auckland on the fifth of February 27 00:01:32,613 --> 00:01:39,973 Speaker 3: and we traveled through Hamilton, Todonga, Topaur, down to Wellington, Nelson, 28 00:01:40,573 --> 00:01:45,133 Speaker 3: along the West coast in Graymouth, through to christ Church, 29 00:01:46,133 --> 00:01:51,773 Speaker 3: then Queenstown, Dunedin, up past back through christ Church, picked 30 00:01:51,773 --> 00:01:56,133 Speaker 3: in Wellington, Napier and back home. 31 00:01:56,253 --> 00:01:58,893 Speaker 2: It's not a big So that's our trip. Ye what 32 00:01:59,093 --> 00:01:59,893 Speaker 2: to me were you in? 33 00:02:01,173 --> 00:02:05,373 Speaker 3: So for the first six weeks we were in an 34 00:02:05,413 --> 00:02:08,533 Speaker 3: ID five so Volkswag can lend us at EV's to 35 00:02:08,653 --> 00:02:11,973 Speaker 3: travel for our tours, which are very grateful for and 36 00:02:12,053 --> 00:02:14,493 Speaker 3: so yeah, there was a ID five, which is kind 37 00:02:14,493 --> 00:02:18,213 Speaker 3: of a classic, kind of more sporty car. And then 38 00:02:18,333 --> 00:02:20,533 Speaker 3: for the last few weeks we were in the ID Buzz, 39 00:02:20,973 --> 00:02:23,813 Speaker 3: which is kind of brand new to New Zealand and 40 00:02:24,613 --> 00:02:27,133 Speaker 3: very you know, inspired by the comb So that was 41 00:02:27,173 --> 00:02:28,333 Speaker 3: that was pretty cool. 42 00:02:28,653 --> 00:02:32,773 Speaker 2: Cool Okay, then, so I mean the number one criticism, 43 00:02:33,573 --> 00:02:35,693 Speaker 2: you know, the number one concern that I suppose people 44 00:02:35,733 --> 00:02:38,533 Speaker 2: raised when it comes to long long trips in an 45 00:02:38,533 --> 00:02:41,293 Speaker 2: EV is that you can't do it because you know, 46 00:02:41,373 --> 00:02:43,173 Speaker 2: you run out of you run out of range, and 47 00:02:43,213 --> 00:02:45,733 Speaker 2: you run out a battery. What was your experience with 48 00:02:45,813 --> 00:02:48,133 Speaker 2: the charging network as it stands? Can you do a 49 00:02:48,133 --> 00:02:49,013 Speaker 2: long trip in an EV? 50 00:02:50,293 --> 00:02:53,413 Speaker 3: One hundred percent? You can? So this seemed honestly, it 51 00:02:53,453 --> 00:02:56,013 Speaker 3: seemed easy to me this year because you know, in 52 00:02:56,093 --> 00:02:59,653 Speaker 3: twenty twenty five, charge net has so many more different 53 00:03:00,253 --> 00:03:03,133 Speaker 3: charging stations across the country that you know they're establishing 54 00:03:03,173 --> 00:03:05,813 Speaker 3: new ones all the time. I did a similar route 55 00:03:05,813 --> 00:03:09,533 Speaker 3: in twenty twenty in a vehicle with a range of 56 00:03:09,573 --> 00:03:13,293 Speaker 3: about two hundred and twenty kilometers for six weeks, so 57 00:03:13,373 --> 00:03:17,213 Speaker 3: you know that's five years ago, and that you know, like, honestly, 58 00:03:17,253 --> 00:03:20,333 Speaker 3: there was a few different moments of range anxiety and 59 00:03:20,373 --> 00:03:22,813 Speaker 3: when you're when you're trying to like enjoy your holiday, 60 00:03:22,933 --> 00:03:26,533 Speaker 3: you know, I understand that, I understand people's hesitations. However, 61 00:03:27,653 --> 00:03:30,733 Speaker 3: I think we probably waited because that's also an element too, 62 00:03:30,893 --> 00:03:33,733 Speaker 3: is if someone's just arrived and they've started to charge 63 00:03:33,733 --> 00:03:37,453 Speaker 3: their car just before you, and you're factored in, you know, 64 00:03:37,293 --> 00:03:39,893 Speaker 3: in half an hour to top up your car, but 65 00:03:39,973 --> 00:03:41,893 Speaker 3: someone just arrived so that half an hour is going 66 00:03:41,933 --> 00:03:45,693 Speaker 3: to turn into an hour. Then I understand that that's frustrating, 67 00:03:45,733 --> 00:03:47,293 Speaker 3: but that only happened to us like. 68 00:03:47,333 --> 00:03:50,613 Speaker 2: Once two months and so pretty good. 69 00:03:50,573 --> 00:03:54,493 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly, So we just rock up and like we 70 00:03:54,493 --> 00:03:57,013 Speaker 3: were hardly waiting it all. It meant that we were 71 00:03:57,333 --> 00:04:00,133 Speaker 3: stopping at where the charges were rather than kind of 72 00:04:00,253 --> 00:04:02,893 Speaker 3: the main spots that you'd stop when you're traveling around. 73 00:04:03,213 --> 00:04:06,053 Speaker 3: So you get to see like cool new places and 74 00:04:06,533 --> 00:04:09,373 Speaker 3: really kind of yeah, quick little towns, a little like 75 00:04:09,413 --> 00:04:13,173 Speaker 3: local museums. I honestly think that, yeah, it added more 76 00:04:13,213 --> 00:04:15,373 Speaker 3: to the trip, and it kind of also feels like 77 00:04:15,933 --> 00:04:19,373 Speaker 3: it encourages you to kind of slow down, really enjoy 78 00:04:19,453 --> 00:04:23,493 Speaker 3: New Zealand and not just have that eas of just 79 00:04:23,493 --> 00:04:26,173 Speaker 3: stop into a petrol station and then continue on. You know, 80 00:04:26,213 --> 00:04:28,253 Speaker 3: you're forced to kind of it more slowly. 81 00:04:28,333 --> 00:04:29,693 Speaker 2: I think that I think there are a couple of 82 00:04:29,693 --> 00:04:32,093 Speaker 2: things I've observed not having done big road trips with 83 00:04:32,133 --> 00:04:34,293 Speaker 2: an EV. But so first of all, there are kind 84 00:04:34,333 --> 00:04:36,693 Speaker 2: of two types of evs now right, So you have 85 00:04:36,773 --> 00:04:40,693 Speaker 2: the ones that are designed for everyday commuting, so they 86 00:04:40,773 --> 00:04:43,493 Speaker 2: are only a massive range. They've only got maximum a 87 00:04:43,493 --> 00:04:46,413 Speaker 2: couple of hundred kilometers maybe, but they're designed to be 88 00:04:46,493 --> 00:04:48,973 Speaker 2: driven every day and driven in cities. And then you 89 00:04:49,013 --> 00:04:52,533 Speaker 2: have evs that have the longer range and more appropriate 90 00:04:52,613 --> 00:04:55,053 Speaker 2: for the kind of adventure you've been on. And when 91 00:04:55,093 --> 00:04:57,333 Speaker 2: you're driving one of those cars, you really want to 92 00:04:57,333 --> 00:05:00,773 Speaker 2: be in a position whereby your trip is not being 93 00:05:00,813 --> 00:05:04,533 Speaker 2: dictated by the absolute location of the charging stages. Right, 94 00:05:04,573 --> 00:05:06,733 Speaker 2: So you want to be like, we're going here, here, here, 95 00:05:07,133 --> 00:05:09,693 Speaker 2: and we'll come across some charging stations on the way, 96 00:05:09,933 --> 00:05:12,093 Speaker 2: as opposed to being like, right, we're going to go 97 00:05:12,133 --> 00:05:14,493 Speaker 2: from this charging station and then we're gonna skip the 98 00:05:14,613 --> 00:05:16,533 Speaker 2: charging station. And this I always think about, you know, 99 00:05:16,573 --> 00:05:19,373 Speaker 2: like the first aviators who you know, like flew across 100 00:05:19,413 --> 00:05:21,533 Speaker 2: the world or flew across the United States and had 101 00:05:21,533 --> 00:05:23,453 Speaker 2: to make sixty stops and that kind of thing, and 102 00:05:23,493 --> 00:05:25,933 Speaker 2: how you know, they could fly twenty kilometers and then 103 00:05:25,973 --> 00:05:27,853 Speaker 2: they needed to find somewhere else to land. It's sort 104 00:05:27,853 --> 00:05:30,533 Speaker 2: of steams comparable. But I suppose, like you say, with 105 00:05:30,613 --> 00:05:35,813 Speaker 2: the with the propensity of charging stations as they are now, 106 00:05:36,653 --> 00:05:38,933 Speaker 2: you don't need to kind of worry about that, you know, 107 00:05:38,973 --> 00:05:41,693 Speaker 2: as you did in the past, which is great. No, So, 108 00:05:41,893 --> 00:05:42,933 Speaker 2: how much did it cost you. 109 00:05:44,373 --> 00:05:46,213 Speaker 3: So I've been trying to add it up and I 110 00:05:46,253 --> 00:05:49,453 Speaker 3: don't know how exact kilometer and just you know kilometers, 111 00:05:49,493 --> 00:05:51,493 Speaker 3: how many we covered. That would have been clear of 112 00:05:51,533 --> 00:05:53,893 Speaker 3: me to click that on the car at the side 113 00:05:53,893 --> 00:05:57,293 Speaker 3: of the trip. Anyway, it cost around eight hundred and 114 00:05:57,293 --> 00:06:01,573 Speaker 3: fourteen dollars and that's charging at the fast charges, so 115 00:06:02,373 --> 00:06:06,013 Speaker 3: you can, you know, check upon your car overnight and yeah, 116 00:06:06,053 --> 00:06:09,653 Speaker 3: you know, do a slow trickle. So that's like the 117 00:06:10,053 --> 00:06:12,373 Speaker 3: that's the most you're ever going to spend on charging 118 00:06:12,373 --> 00:06:15,013 Speaker 3: because you're at these super fast charges that you're only 119 00:06:15,053 --> 00:06:17,853 Speaker 3: stopping for. I think the max that we stopped at 120 00:06:17,933 --> 00:06:19,173 Speaker 3: was like forty five minutes. 121 00:06:19,253 --> 00:06:22,533 Speaker 2: Yeah, So did I reckon charges? Was that an issue? 122 00:06:23,813 --> 00:06:27,173 Speaker 3: There was one place that had actually in Topau at 123 00:06:27,213 --> 00:06:30,973 Speaker 3: one point there were four charges there and like a 124 00:06:31,013 --> 00:06:33,493 Speaker 3: few of them were busy and one of them was 125 00:06:33,493 --> 00:06:38,173 Speaker 3: was faulty. And so but in that moment like it 126 00:06:38,773 --> 00:06:42,693 Speaker 3: because there was multiple charges there, that was fine because 127 00:06:42,853 --> 00:06:45,333 Speaker 3: it just meant there was less capacity for people to 128 00:06:45,413 --> 00:06:48,293 Speaker 3: charge often there. And and like you said, it's if 129 00:06:48,333 --> 00:06:50,453 Speaker 3: you're passing through and you plan to stop at a 130 00:06:50,533 --> 00:06:53,973 Speaker 3: charger and it's full or it's faulty, you can just 131 00:06:54,013 --> 00:06:55,653 Speaker 3: go on to the next one because it's not too 132 00:06:55,693 --> 00:06:59,173 Speaker 3: far away. Yeah, so we were never kind of caught 133 00:06:59,213 --> 00:07:01,893 Speaker 3: out or yeah, kind of frustrated by it. 134 00:07:01,933 --> 00:07:04,613 Speaker 2: And how do you feel about the batteries in the 135 00:07:04,653 --> 00:07:07,813 Speaker 2: battery debate and what happens to old batteries. 136 00:07:09,173 --> 00:07:11,333 Speaker 3: Yeah, so, I mean there's a lot of complications with 137 00:07:11,573 --> 00:07:14,573 Speaker 3: the mining of them and you know, supply chain and 138 00:07:14,573 --> 00:07:16,693 Speaker 3: where they're from, and we don't have that right. There's 139 00:07:16,773 --> 00:07:20,533 Speaker 3: totally some unethical and unstandable things that that we need 140 00:07:20,573 --> 00:07:22,733 Speaker 3: to figure out and we need to keep developing. But 141 00:07:22,853 --> 00:07:25,533 Speaker 3: with the battery, if the battery is no longer suitable 142 00:07:25,573 --> 00:07:27,693 Speaker 3: for a car, you know, especially with some of the 143 00:07:27,973 --> 00:07:31,613 Speaker 3: old leafs and older vehicles. Now, the batteries, you know, 144 00:07:31,653 --> 00:07:34,293 Speaker 3: they may have a range of seventy kilometers which can 145 00:07:34,533 --> 00:07:37,773 Speaker 3: get you caught out. Those can actually be used as 146 00:07:37,853 --> 00:07:41,973 Speaker 3: generators so like on farms, or battery backups for homes 147 00:07:41,973 --> 00:07:44,533 Speaker 3: and different things. So if they're not suitable for a car, 148 00:07:44,573 --> 00:07:47,493 Speaker 3: they're still suitable suitable for a lot of other different uses. 149 00:07:48,053 --> 00:07:50,653 Speaker 3: And there's different programs now where the batteries are able 150 00:07:50,733 --> 00:07:55,613 Speaker 3: to be picked apart and the different minerals and yeah, 151 00:07:55,653 --> 00:07:59,493 Speaker 3: elements of them are able to be taken apart, stripped 152 00:07:59,493 --> 00:08:04,413 Speaker 3: away from each other and used for other means and 153 00:08:04,613 --> 00:08:08,733 Speaker 3: purpose recycles. Yeah, so it's kind of I think when 154 00:08:08,773 --> 00:08:12,013 Speaker 3: you're driving into ev i've, you know, I feel like 155 00:08:12,253 --> 00:08:15,293 Speaker 3: you're kind of open for that critique and criticism because 156 00:08:16,333 --> 00:08:19,373 Speaker 3: you know, there's a lot of complications around EV's. They're 157 00:08:19,413 --> 00:08:22,493 Speaker 3: not like the be all into all, like most sustainable 158 00:08:22,493 --> 00:08:25,093 Speaker 3: way to travel, Like we are still developing them, we're 159 00:08:25,133 --> 00:08:28,453 Speaker 3: still changing things. But I think like the fact that 160 00:08:28,493 --> 00:08:30,693 Speaker 3: we are, you know, we've come so far with our 161 00:08:30,813 --> 00:08:35,293 Speaker 3: charging stations, with what EV's can do, with companies being 162 00:08:35,293 --> 00:08:38,573 Speaker 3: more aware of the ethical and sustainable side of things, 163 00:08:38,653 --> 00:08:41,413 Speaker 3: Like we're learning and we're evolving, and it's really cool 164 00:08:41,413 --> 00:08:43,613 Speaker 3: to see that we're not you know, we're not just 165 00:08:43,693 --> 00:08:46,693 Speaker 3: like cool, this is our new sustainable mode of transport. 166 00:08:47,133 --> 00:08:50,093 Speaker 3: That we're still developing the technology and it's important to 167 00:08:50,093 --> 00:08:51,053 Speaker 3: have these conversations. 168 00:08:51,373 --> 00:08:53,333 Speaker 2: So good. Hey, thanks Kay. You can find Kate of 169 00:08:53,373 --> 00:08:56,093 Speaker 2: course by sitching on the social media platforms use nine 170 00:08:56,093 --> 00:08:58,893 Speaker 2: as ethically Kate. We'll put all those little notes up 171 00:08:58,893 --> 00:09:00,333 Speaker 2: on the news talks you'd b website 172 00:09:00,613 --> 00:09:03,733 Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame listen live 173 00:09:03,813 --> 00:09:06,653 Speaker 1: to news talks it'd be from nine am Saturday, or 174 00:09:06,693 --> 00:09:08,613 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio