Chevrolet Spark helps electric cars gain traction

L

ittle by little, the electric car is gaining traction, so to speak.

The Chevrolet Spark.

The outstanding Tesla has demonstrated what is possible in the luxury market and many manufacturers have ventured into other segments.

A recent Slap Tomorrow event at the Rotary Motor Show in Shepparton had a Tesla on show, courtesy of Wangaratta’s Francis Reeves, whose wife, Meg, also drove to Shepparton in her car, a her Mitsubishi MEIV, another all-electric car.

Also on show was a Holden Volt and now Treehugger is telling just how cheap and competitive electric cars are becoming in America.

Its story - “Spark EV gets price cut, now as low as $14,995 after tax credits in certain states” – discusses the new Chevrolet Spark.

Wonderful Tesla exposes enthusiasts to new way of looking at cars

W

angaratta’s Francis Reeves brought his wonderful electric Tesla car to Shepparton last Sunday.

Francis, and his wife Meg, who had brought her all electric Mitsubishi MEIV, happily answered questions (mostly the same ones) all day at the annual Rotary Motor Show and Market Day.

The sumptuous interior of the Tesla.

The sumptuous Tesla exposed motoring enthusiasts to a new way of looking at cars.

The Tesla, however, looked for all intents and purposes just like most other cars, but beneath that common exterior was a whole array of technology with which most motoring enthusiasts are unfamiliar.

Francis said Tesla is presently establishing charging stations from Brisbane to Melbourne and just as soon as they are established, travel for Tesla owners on Australia’s east coast will be free.

A lifetime fuel is incorporated in the Tesla’s original cost.

Francis said many had criticized him for having a vehicle that still needed energy from fossil fuelled power stations – he explained he had solar panels at home, the prime point for charging his car, and the Tesla charging stations relied on totally green energy.

Treehugger in its story - “Almost everyone is underestimating renewables” – discusses the world’s misinterpretation of renewable energy.

Motoring enthusiasts given a glimpse of the future at Shepparton

S

lap Tomorrow gave motoring enthusiasts a glimpse of the future at yesterday’s Rotary Motor Show and Market Day in Shepparton.

Just a part of the Slap Tomorrow
 alternatively fuelled vehicles stand at
 yesterday's Rotary Motor Show and 
 Market Day at Shepparton's Driver
 Education Centre (DECA).

The star of the group’s display was the brilliant white Tesla SS brought to Shepparton by the proud owner, Francis Reeves, of Wangaratta.

With him in her car was Frank’s wife Meg, who added a something extra with her Mitsubishi MEIV, another all-electric car.

Both Frank and Meg had their cars open to the public allowing people to look at, try the driving position and willingly and happily answered similar questions over and over again.

Taking the electric theme even further we two registration and license-free scooters from Puri, one of which was sold on the day, and an electric race car produced by students from the Swinburne Institute of Technology in extra-curricular activities.

The small race car that can reach 200km/h, but is governed to less than that, has many sponsors, among them Shepparton’s Betroli Farm Machinery and the insurance brokers, Griffiths Goodall.

 

Adding to the show was a near new Holden Volt, known for its remarkable range.

Also on show was a truck from the Shepparton-based Gouge Dry Cleaners that is powered by compressed natural gas, produced on its own site in Mooroopna.

The power of bio-diesel was also demonstrated with an illustration of how the process begins with the grinding of mustard seeds.

Concern about the use of valuable agricultural land for growing such things as mustard seed used only for bio-diesel were discounted as those areas used for regular cropping need a “break crop” to revitalise the soil, and mustard seed, and similar crops are ideal for that purpose.

The Tesla shown at yesterday’s Rotary event at DECA was most impressive – it looked wonderful and stylish, it had a boot where you normally find a motor, it had an even more commodious boot at the rear, a motor somewhere under your feet, a range of 500km, and acceleration that would have shaded all those other conventional cars on show, and there were some pretty impressive “muscle cars” among the exhibits.

Tesla is about to establish charging points between Melbourne and Brisbane and Frank said that after 500km and the time it takes to have a coffee, you can be back on the road full charged.