Electric vehicle fleet expands as Arvida plugs into the future
When Arvida Park Lane village residents need to take a quick trip to Christchurch city, it’s easy with one of the community electric vehicles.
These cars are used by Park Lane’s independent residents, so they don’t have to own a vehicle.
Park Lane Village Manager, Leigh Tabak says the increase in electric vehicle use has been pleasing to see.
“My residents really love to use the vehicles and find them very easy to drive. With petrol prices continuing to rise it’s a substantial saving each year for them.”
The increase in resident use has led to an expansion in the fleet, now at 14 with a mix of plug-in EVs and hybrid vehicles to choose from.
As well as shrinking Park Lane’s carbon footprint, this futuristic fleet has freed up space that would usually be used for resident car parks. This extra space has enabled a community garden, orchard and full-size bowling green.
Natalie, a Park Lane resident, loves ‘the Beemer’. She arrived at Park Lane with her trusty Honda Jazz, but that vehicle is no longer needed. The nifty BMWi3 is Natalie’s ride of choice.
Arvida Head of Sustainability, Arveen Horsefield says the expansion of the electric vehicle fleet over time has shown a real adaptability from residents.
“Electric vehicles really can contribute to a strong community vibe when it comes to a shared resource. Last minute changes to plans and trips for the day are sometimes made between residents at breakfast time so that everyone can benefit from the cars even when they appear booked up.”
Park Lane recently added two Hyundai Kona vehicles to the fleet, as well as four MGs.
Even the St Albans Arvida community in Christchurch has embraced EVs and three electric vehicles for residents to use. With one Mitsubishi and two Hyundai electric vehicles on offer, this smaller fleet is widely used for both short and day trips.