Lane trial a taste of future plans

Just as Tesla launches here, and more vehicle distributors are adding EVs to their line- up, the New Zealand Transport Agency started a twoweek trial that allows some vehicles to drive in bus and truck lanes.

The trial is part of the Government’s electric vehicle programme which aims to have 64,000 EVs on the road by 2021 by doubling the number of EVs each year.

The trial runs until Monday, and allows owners of fully electric and plug- in EVs ( sorry hybrids, you’re excluded) to drive in five priority bypass lanes on Auckland’s motorway system.

The priority lanes include bus, truck and T2 ramps and cover the Southwestern, Southern, Southeastern, Northern and Northwestern motorways.

The Transport Agency says the trial will help it understand the impact and viability of allowing EVs access to special lanes, especially during peak rush hour.

The outcome of the trial, says the agency, will be used to determine if other lanes are viable.

Vehicles taking part in the exercise were given an EV sticker to be placed on rear or right- hand rear side windows so they don’t get fined for being in the lanes.

As I was testing an EV this week, I was excited to hear about the venture, especially as there is a bus lane on part of my inner- city weekday commute.

There is always stop- start traffic on the two lanes heading into the city every morning, and the one lane heading west in the evening is always packed.

So I imagined being able to zip into the bus lane to and from work, speeding past all the other commuters in non- EVs, and feeling smug.

Unfortunately, that bus lane was not part of the trial, but I’d like to recommend it to the Transport Agency to consider! ABOUT US Editor Tony Verdon Editor at Large Liz Dobson Contributors Matthew Hansen, Jacqui Madelin, Bob McMurray, Cameron Officer, Donna McIntyre, David Kavermann, Ted Baghurst, Drew Thompson Cover design Jennifer Adams Cover photo Supplied Advertising Todd Fuller 021 986027 todd. fuller@ nzme. co. nz 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 What Kiwi personality featured as a painting on a F1 car in 1997? A Rachel Hunter B Lucy Lawless C Dame Susan Devoy Auckland traffic is slower than? A Hong Kong B Moscow C London In Europe, Nissan has a “Black Edition” of the? A Pulsar B March C Leaf What make is using quantum computers? A VW B Toyota C Mercedes Lamborghini once made a marine engine? ATrue B False What tech company joined the autonomous sector this week? A Dell B Apple C Intel Ferrari's range toppers will cease to be V12s according to its CEO? A True B False Vanda Electrics Denbrodium is the name of a? ASelf- driving car tech company B Singapore hypercar C Chip/ sensor auto supplier Jaguar’s first EV is called? AE- Pace B V- Pace C I- Pace Who posted the fastest time in F1 testing? AKimi Raikkonen B Valtteri Bottas C Max Verstappen