I would like to congratulate Gary Freedman and ElectricAir on reaching this important milestone with the launch of the Pipistrel Alpha Electro battery electric two-seat light aircraft today.
The difficulty with speaking last is that it has all been said.
ElectricAir’s passion and purpose is the opening line on their website:
“ElectricAir is a Christchurch start-up on a mission to clean up our skies.”
This is an enormous challenge that we all face. I pay carbon credits every time I book a flight. But I know this is a drop in the ocean.
So, this step towards emissions free flights is significant. And given that New Zealand has one of the highest rates of short haul flights per person of any country in the world and an electricity grid powered from predominantly renewable sources, it’s great to see Gary take this initiative.
Seeing the Christchurch City Council recognised alongside the Airport, Meridian and Airways emphasises our city’s commitment to supporting innovative zero exhaust emissions technologies.
Two years ago, we helped launch a battery electric car sharing scheme, now called Zilch, which the Council uses for the bulk of its vehicle fleet. The scheme is also available to businesses and members of the public.
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure has also been rolled out across the city, including in Banks Peninsula, and the Council has encouraged private businesses to put charging stations in their public car parks.
I have loved seeing the RedBus battery electric, zero exhaust emission, buses on the route between the airport and the central city.
And, of course, the future of autonomous electric transportation – Ohmio on the ground being trialled here at the airport and Cora in the air being trialled further south in Canterbury.
We are strongly committed to new technologies that set the standard, for future transportation. The project is a perfect fit for our city as we seek to achieve our sustainability goals.
The difficulty with speaking last is that it has all been said.
ElectricAir’s passion and purpose is the opening line on their website:
“ElectricAir is a Christchurch start-up on a mission to clean up our skies.”
This is an enormous challenge that we all face. I pay carbon credits every time I book a flight. But I know this is a drop in the ocean.
So, this step towards emissions free flights is significant. And given that New Zealand has one of the highest rates of short haul flights per person of any country in the world and an electricity grid powered from predominantly renewable sources, it’s great to see Gary take this initiative.
Seeing the Christchurch City Council recognised alongside the Airport, Meridian and Airways emphasises our city’s commitment to supporting innovative zero exhaust emissions technologies.
Two years ago, we helped launch a battery electric car sharing scheme, now called Zilch, which the Council uses for the bulk of its vehicle fleet. The scheme is also available to businesses and members of the public.
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure has also been rolled out across the city, including in Banks Peninsula, and the Council has encouraged private businesses to put charging stations in their public car parks.
I have loved seeing the RedBus battery electric, zero exhaust emission, buses on the route between the airport and the central city.
And, of course, the future of autonomous electric transportation – Ohmio on the ground being trialled here at the airport and Cora in the air being trialled further south in Canterbury.
We are strongly committed to new technologies that set the standard, for future transportation. The project is a perfect fit for our city as we seek to achieve our sustainability goals.