In February 2018, we launched Yoogo Share in Christchurch. The city had a vision to create a sustainable future and we've been thrilled to be part of the City's rebuild.
Shaun Hendy's year without flying
Scientist Shaun spent a without flying to highlight climate change. As part of his #nofly2018 project, he drove Yoogo Share electric cars. Read his story as published on stuff.co.nz
Scientist Shaun Hendy wanted to walk the talk when it came to climate change, so he gave up flying for 2018. He reflects on the highs and lows of a year of buses, trains and electric cars.
OPINION: In late November, a group of scientists, policy analysts, and communications folk gathered in Wellington to talk about climate change. One of the speakers that morning talked about her "climate anxiety". She described how she wakes in the night, worried about what will happen to our world, our society, our children, as we continue to pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
She isn't alone. The morning after the 2016 United States presidential elections I woke with a climate change hangover. With Donald Trump gaining the White House we had just lost another four years in a fight that should have been won two decades ago. As the world continues to find excuses not to act, many of us in the science community feel a growing sense of helplessness.
A few months later, I saw a talk by Quentin Atkinson, a University of Auckland professor who studies how culture and beliefs spread. His talk introduced me to the concept of costly signalling: the idea that messages from people who walk the talk are seen to be more reliable than those who just use facts and evidence. If scientists expect the world to take us seriously about climate change, then maybe we need to be seen to be taking it seriously ourselves.
In 2017 I flew a total of 84,000 kilometres, emitting roughly 19 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in the process. From my travel alone, I was responsible for emitting the carbon dioxide of 2½ average New Zealanders (although I come out slightly better if you take into account the methane emissions from our agriculture sector).
But last year wasn't even a big year for me. I took only one trip to the northern hemisphere, whereas in 2016 I had two trips to Europe and one to the US. I was acting as if I didn't care about carbon dioxide at all.
So this year I stopped flying altogether. My job takes me to Wellington quite often (20 times in 2017), but in 2018 I took either the bus, the train, or attended meetings by videoconference. I have to go to Christchurch a couple of times a year, so this year I lined up these trips with visits to Wellington and took the ferry. To get to Dunedin to visit my parents, I rented an electric vehicle from Christchurch-based car share company Yoogo. I didn't go overseas at all.
The biggest cost came at a loss in flexibility. I could get to where I needed to be, but only if I had enough warning. When a meeting was moved from Nelson to Auckland with just a few weeks' notice, I had to scramble to cancel other meetings and found myself on an overnight bus. While I will gladly take the train again, and found the electric vehicle rentals both affordable and fun, I would rather avoid another overnight bus if I can help it!
But my #nofly2018 cut my emissions from travel to just over one tonne. And I wasn't alone. Atkinson, whose work inspired me to action, joined in, and later in the year I discovered a group of fellow (non-)travellers, who had started a Facebook group for non-flying Kiwis. Other scientists have told me that I have inspired them to take #nofly years too. Most people have been incredibly supportive.
I did annoy a few climate change deniers, and I've also been called a virtue signaller online a few times, although funnily enough, this was exactly the point. I've also realised that not everyone is in a position to completely cut air travel. Most of my science is done with computers, which means I can work from anywhere and don't have to fly to Antarctica to collect my data. Taking longer and slower trips away is going to be impossible if you have a young family.
But from a personal perspective, I found that I had regained a sense of control over the coming crisis. By taking action, even if it was only ever going to make a small difference, I felt considerably better about the world. Take that, Trump!
Next year I will go back to flying, but my new year resolution will be to cut my carbon emissions from travel by 30 per cent. I will continue using videoconferencing and I've learnt that, with good planning, I can replace a series of day trips with longer overnight trips away.
I've also had a glimpse into the future, where we all care about carbon as much as the climate scientists, and the impacts of the emissions from air travel are truly reflected in its cost.
Genesis invests in Yoogo Share
Genesis, New Zealand’s largest electricity retailer, has made a strategic investment of $2 million for a 40% stake in Yoogo Share, an EV car sharing company helping businesses and individuals reduce their carbon emissions.
The New Zealand transport sector represents more than 20% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and Genesis is setting its sights on helping to reduce that. With 200 tonnes of CO2 already saved by Yoogo Share, Genesis is excited about what this new partnership will achieve.
Executive General Manager Retail Markets, James Magill, says Yoogo Share’s experience in EV fleet management and charging infrastructure, combined with Genesis’ customer and brand reach, will go a long way to achieving momentum in this essential and growing sector.
“There is a groundswell of activity from individuals, business and government to support NZ’s emissions reduction targets and we hope to support that. Partnering with Yoogo Share enables a solution to help our customers further reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions.”
In announcing the deal, as part of today’s annual results, Genesis CEO Marc England said this will provide significant opportunity for Genesis’ business customers, many of whom are on the verge of transitioning pool car fleets to EVs.
“The Yoogo Share model, supported by Genesis will enable the average cost per kilometre to be brought down, capital costs avoided, a reduction in carbon footprint and enable more flexible transportation for New Zealand businesses,” said Marc.
Yoogo Share CEO, David Jenkinson says the traditional fleet industry is changing, “Research suggests that by 2024 car sharing will have grown to 40,000 cars in New Zealand and Australia. With a solid base in Christchurch and expansion into Auckland and Wellington currently underway, we’re delighted to have Genesis’ support which enables us to meet the increasing market interest in our service.”
Genesis itself has committed to transitioning 100% of its light vehicle fleet to EV by 2020 and 50% of trucks by 2025. 41% of the light vehicle fleet has already been converted and four hybrid trucks begin service this month.
Living without the burden of ownership: Frasers story
Fraser is one of Yoogo Share’s first Auckland members. He decided to use the money he had set aside for a new car to quit his job and follow his dreams. This is his story.
OPINION: “I have been using Yoogo Share in Auckland for over a year. I often work from home, or bike to work, so I mostly only need a car for weekday errands and on weekends.
I love it. It makes so much more sense than owning a car.
It’s cheaper, you get to drive cool (and expensive) EVs, you are reducing emissions and taking cars off the road. And it’s convenient enough for a young family to regularly use.
But most importantly, it frees up the capital that would otherwise be tied up in owning a car.
Half a year ago I was seriously considering buying a car because I thought I needed one for my growing family (I was wrong). But because of Yoogo Share and their very fair weekend rate, I had the confidence that I had my transportation needs sorted. So I quit the rat race and bought a business with that money instead. Someone else might have used it towards a down payment on house.
Yoogo Share disrupts not only transportation, but it gives people the freedom to live without the burden of car ownership. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities.
Without Yoogo Share, I’d probably own a Nissan Leaf and still work 9-5 in an unfulfilling corporate job.”
One Way trips have landed
Drive yourself to the airport and have the freedom to run errands or have a meeting on the way.
No need to pay for parking, and no need to wait for a ride; just pick up a car and go.
OneWay trips can now be booked in between Christchurch Airport and two of our Christchurch CBD hubs.
With 90 minutes travel time included in the $22 rate, drivers have the freedom to do things like have meetings, pick-up passengers or run errands on the way to and from the airport.
Our Christchurch Airport pick-up and drop-off is located 2 minutes from the terminal in the Rideshare Zone, behind the Express Car Park.
With pick-up and drop-off is so close to the airport, and no parking costs, OneWay trips are a great option for regular business travellers and to Cantabrians heading away on holidays.
A guide to charging Yoogo Share EVs
Yoogo Share’s Hyundai IONIQs and BMW i3s have up to 200km range on a single charge, so if you’re planning on doing a lot of kilometers (or using Air Conditioning/heating during your booking) you might need to charge up. Here’s some pro-tips to help make you an EV charging expert:
Battery range
The actual distance you’ll be able to travel on a a single charge depends on your driving style, load weight and use of AC and heaters. If you want to get maximum range, keep use of AC to a minimum and switch driving style into Eco Mode.
Charging at Yoogo Share hubs
All Yoogo Share hubs except Christchurch Airport have AC charging units with cables attached to fit both the BMW i3 and the Hyundai Ioniq.
Yoogo Share AC chargers can take up to 3hrs to get to 80% charge.
You can use Yoogo Share chargers at any time during your booking, from the hub you collected the car from.
Drivers plug Yoogo Share cars in to charge when return them, to juice them up for the next driver.
If you jump into a car that doesn’t have enough charge for your trip, give us a call and we’ll swap you into another car that’s got more range.
If you can’t unplug a charging cable from a car, lock and unlock it again and it should release. There’s a 10 second window on the Hyundai IONIQs to get the cable out before it locks into the vehicle again.
On the road
New Zealand is becoming well equipped with EV charging units, with an ever growing number of free and paid charging units all around the country.
Plan your journey on PlugShare to find charging units along your route.
Free AC charging units usually require a BYO Type2 charging cable. All Yoogo Share Hyundai IONIQs have a Type2 cable in the boot. If you're heading away on a long trip and plan on using free public chargers, always make sure there's a Type 2 cable in the boot. AC charging can take up to 3hrs to get to 80% charge. Free Orion Public Chargers in Canterbury can be activated with a Yoogo Share access card.
Paid fast chargers (DC) have charging cables attached so there's no need to bring your own. Sign up to ChargeNet before you head away on trips out of town to use their network of paid public chargers. DC charging takes about 30 mins to get to 80% charge.
Charging at home
If your a member of The Club or are taking a car home on an overnight booking, you may want to charge up at home to make sure the car is returned to the hub with enough charge for the next driver.
3-pin chargers are in the boot of all Yoogo Share cars. You can use these chargers to plug into any standard household plug.
These chargers are best for overnight charging as a full charge can take up to 15 hours.
Never use an extension cable when charging.
If you’ve got any questions about charging a Yoogo Share EV, please get in touch by emailing: or make a booking to join one of our EV Driver Training Sessions.
Aurecon committed to reducing carbon footprint
Yoogo Share foundation business members Aurecon have been driving our EV’s since we launched in February last year.
An instrumental part of Canterbury’s post-quake rebuild, together with working on some of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure projects, Aurecon are a global engineering firm on a mission to make the world a better place through infrastructure engineering and design.
Working on a diverse range of projects like the Kaikoura Earthquake Recovery programme, the Auckland City Rail Link that includes 3.4 km of underground rail line and advising on the world's largest lithium-ion battery to store renewable energy, Aurecon are at the forefront of re-imagining engineering and bringing ideas to life to design a better future.
NZ Regional Director, Carl Devereux says “At Aurecon we have made a commitment to reducing our carbon footprint. A transition to a fully electric fleet that Yoogo Share was offering was therefore an obvious choice for our business. Yoogo Share also presented the opportunity to transition to a modern fleet of vehicles with improved safety standards including In Vehicle Monitoring Systems (IVMS). This is an important next step for our health and safety journey. We are really enjoying the simplicity of Yoogo Share and our staff are really excited to be part of the new and sustainable transport initiative.”
After hours subscription: $99 per week
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of a product that’s the first of it’s kind in New Zealand… maybe even the world!?
It’s an EV subscription, where members get to take a Yoogo Share car home every night, and use it all weekend long, with free parking in the city, all for less than the price of a tank of gas. Epic, right!?
The initial launch offer to join The Club as a premier member is strictly limited in availability.
Find out more about The Club & submit your application now at yoogoshare.co.nz/the-club
Driving the Heineken Urban Polo
We’re stoked the Urban Polo team will be using Yoogo Share EVs to drive polo players to and from their fantastic event in Hagley Park on March 2nd.
Flying down for the event from Auckland, the team running the Urban Polo event, will be chefuering some of New Zealand’s top polo players in BMW i3s and Hyundai IONIQs, and using the cars to get around Christchurch while they’re there.
A modern twist on ‘the sport of kings’, the Heineken Urban Polo merges polo with party, with DJ’s, food trucks and a Heineken bar adding to the fun of a smaller field size than traditional polo.
We’re giving away two tickets to the Heineken Urban Polo PLUS a weekend in a Yoogo Share E. To enter the draw to win, head over to our Facebook Page.
Yoogo Share EV Driver Training
Car sharing with Yoogo Share gives you all of the freedom of owning a car, with none of the hassles. With great overnight and weekend rates, Yoogo Share members drive the latest EVs for everything from commuting to weekend trips away, with no need to worry about fuel, maintenance or repair bills.
Yoogo Share run free driver training sessions every week to give first-hand demonstrations on how to book and drive Yoogo Share's BMW i3s & Hyundai IONIQs - and we'd love for you to join us.
Our short training sessions will familiarise you with Yoogo Share's pure electric cars and give fully registered drivers a chance to get behind the wheel of a car, with a complimentary drive after the training session.
Areas covered in Yoogo Share driver training sessions:
Making a booking via our website or app
Picking up a Yoogo Share EV
Driving a Yoogo Share EV
Connecting to Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Charging Yoogo Share cars out of town
Pro-tips for safely driving an EV
Vehicle ownership is outdated thinking. Join the electric sharing revolution and say goodbye to fuel, service and repair bills.
Weekly Yoogo Share EV Driver Training
Christchurch
Every Friday morning - 9am-10am - West End Car Park, Level 3B
Second Saturday of every month - 9:30am-10:30am - The Crossing car park, Level 4
Auckland
Auckland training sessions available by appointment. Email us to make an appointment.
$19 Overnights & $69 Weekends extended
Take a Yoogo Share car home from work or away for the weekend with our great overnight and weekend rates and re-think ownership.
Get behind the wheel of a fully electric Yoogo Share Hyundai IONIQ or BMW i3 for $19 overnight or $69 for the whole weekend.
The festive season special, offered in conjunction with Hyundai New Zealand, proved so popular, we’ve extended it to the whole Summer and our members are already booking vehicles for EVERY weekend to make the most of this great deal.
Terms and Conditions of offer
Overnights = Weekdays 6pm to 8am. Weekends = Friday 6pm to Monday 8am.
$19 overnight & $69 weekend rate applies to bookings to 31 March 2019.
Yoogo Share members must be 21yrs or older and have held a full valid driver license for more than 3 years.
180km allowance per 24hrs from start of booking. Additional fees apply if travelling further than accumulated allowance, if returned dirty, or if returned with less than 80% charge.
All other usual Terms and Conditions apply.
Why buy, when you can share?
Thanks to Yoogo Share electric car sharing, you can drive a brand new, zero-emission EV to work every night, and all weekend long, at a fraction of the cost of owning your own vehicle.
No fuel costs
No insurance costs
No repairs or maintenance costs
Free charging at Yoogo Share hubs
Not a member yet?
Download the Yoogo Share app to sign-up:
On the Yoogo Share app, you can sign-up to to become a member, view nearest hubs, book cars, manage bookings, update payment methods and lock and unlock cars during your bookings.
100 TONNES OF CARBON EMISSION SAVINGS
We’re stoked to announce our members in Christchurch have made 100 tonnes of carbon emission savings since our launch in February last year.
Thanks to Christchurch City Council who were instrumental in bringing electric car sharing to the city, our members have saved the equivalent emissions of 250 trips the length of New Zealand by driving Yoogo Share electric cars for business and personal use.
With over 1,000 Kiwis dying each year from air pollution related diseases, and cities like Auckland committing to an emission free CBD by 2030, we’re thrilled to offer a way for Kiwis to drive zero-emission electric cars without the expensive costs of ownership.
Find out how we calculate carbon emission savings, and what else we’re doing for the local environment on our Carbon Savings page.
What we're doing to keep drivers safe on kiwi roads
382 people died on New Zealand roads as a result of crashes in 2018 - the highest road toll we’ve seen since 2009, giving New Zealand the 5th highest fatality rate (per capita) of OECD countries [1].
While the government and police are working hard to improve the safety of New Zealand roads through safety improvements, increased presence of traffic officers and public education on safe driving, at Yoogo Share we believe we have a responsibility to do our part in making kiwi roads safer for all drivers.
So, what are we doing to reduce the number of people dying on New Zealand roads?
Safe driving policies & driver checks
Prior to becoming a member of Yoogo Share, we run a background check with the NZTA to ensure anyone driving a Yoogo Share car is fully qualified, with no disqualification or restrictions. All Yoogo Share members must be over 21yrs and have held their full driver license for a minimum of 3 years. All members who sign up to Yoogo Share must agree to abide by our safe driving policies as outlined in our Terms & Conditions.
Driver behavior tracking
Yoogo Share’s advanced GPS technology sends us alerts when drivers are breaking the speed limit, accelerating aggressively, braking harshly or cornering erratically. Drivers who are found to be driving dangerously are contacted and reminded of our safe driving policies. Any drivers who continue to drive dangerously, or are found to be excessively braking speeding limits, will be banned indefinitely from driving Yoogo Share cars.
5-star ANCAP rated vehicles
Yoogo Share BMW i3s, Hyundai IONIQs and Hyundai Kona’s are packed with the latest safety technology and are both 5-star ANCAP rated, making both models some of the safest on New Zealand’s roads. This makes the road safer for occupants of Yoogo Share cars, as well as making the road a safer place for other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
BMW i3 safety features:
5-star ANCAP rated
Dual frontal, side chest and side head airbags (curtains)
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
Electronic brake force distribution (EBD)
Reversing collision avoidance
Tyre pressure monitoring
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Hyundai IONIQ & KONA safety features:
5-star ANCAP rated
Dual frontal, side chest, side head-protecting airbags (curtains) and driver knee airbags
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS)
Smart Cruise Control (SCC)
Blind Spot Detection (BSD)
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Free driver training sessions
Since EVs are a little bit different to drive than traditional cars, we offer free driver training sessions every week to familiarise new members with how to drive Yoogo Share electric vehicles. From navigating the cockpit and driver controls, to explaining safety features and sharing tips on driving EVs safely, we cover it all in these weekly training sessions to leave drivers feeling confident behind the wheel of Yoogo Share cars.
Want to know more about our safe driving policies? do you have suggestions on what other health and SAFETY features you think we should develop?
Feel free to get in touch with our Health & Safety team via email:
References:
1 - IRTAD road safety annual report 2018: https://www.itf-oecd.org/road-safety-annual-report-2018
See also:
Free Parking at The Crossing and West End car parks
Just in time for last minute Christmas Shopping, book either of our Hyundai IONIQs from Papanui, Fendalton or Lyttelton hubs and park in The Crossing car park or the West End car park for FREE while you do your Christmas Shopping or City Errands.
You can park and charge up in any available Yoogo Share car park in The Crossing or West End car parks (excluding the West End rapid chargers) - but don't tap off on these chargers as it will end your booking.
Free parking is available to Yoogo Share Papanui, Fendalton & Lyttelton hub cars only via license plate recognition at The Crossing & West End car parks until Jan 31 2019
$19 overnights & $69 weekends
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM YOOGO SHARE & HYUNDAI NZ
We’ve teamed up with our partners at Hyundai NZ this festive season, to offer special rates to take a Yoogo Share IONIQ home for the night, or away for a weekend from any of our 8 Christchurch hubs:
Offer available to book until Jan 31 2018 to Yoogo Share private members.
Plus, take a Hyundai IONIQ for the weekend and you could win a selection of delicious treats from Little Bird Organics. We have six gift packs to give away!
We’ll randomly pick 6 weekend bookings and will leave a gift pack waiting for inside the car of the lucky winners.
Yoogo Share wins SBN Smarter Transport Award
NEW ZEALANDS FIRST FULLY ELECTRIC CAR SHARING SERVICE TAKES SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS NETWORK SMARTER TRANSPORT AWARD
From right to left: Yoogo Share Development Manager, Tracey Jay. Yoogo Share General Manager, Kirsten Corson. Waste Management National Manager Customer First, Marsha Cadman. Waste Management Sustainability Manager, Adam Weller.
Credit: Sustainable Business Network
Christchurch based car sharing service Yoogo Share has won the Smarter Transport Award at the 2018 Sustainable Business Network Awards.
650 people attended the black tie NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards dinner in Auckland last night to find out what businesses were leading sustainability in the country. Yoogo Share were up against Waste Management NZ, Civic Contractors, Enviro NZ, Tranzit Group, Yoogo Share and Mevo for the Smarter Transport Award.
Judges said they were impressed with the companies bold launch of 100 pure electric vehicles in Christchurch, offering shared electric vehicles to both business and private members. The service, which was officially launched by Lianne Dalziel and Jacinda Ardern in February, has just reached a milestone of 80 tonnes of carbon savings, so it was a double celebration for the car sharing service at the awards.
Kirsten Corson, General Manager of Yoogo Share, acknowledged the outstanding vision and support from Christchurch City Council which started working with the company in 2016 to deliver a city wide pure electric car sharing service – the first of its kind in Australasia.
Christchurch City Council has exited 55 combustion vehicles from their fleet, alongside a number of other local businesses including Warren and Mahoney, Meridian Energy and Aurecon who are using the shared electric fleet as an alternative to pool cars, taxis and rental cars. Christchurch City Council is the only council in the country to made this level of commitment to electric vehicle technology to date.
The Yoogo Share scheme offers Hyundai IONIQs and BMW i3s in 8 different hubs around the city and has become a popular choice for over 4,000 business and private members. At $14.50/hr it’s even more affordable than using a Lime Scooter.
When Corson was asked about Lime Scooters she is very positive saying “Mobility is like a jig saw puzzle, and its great to see a number of sustainable options available for Cantabrians. We are already seeing members jumping on a Lime Scooter to get to one of our hubs, going out for a couple of hours in a Yoogo Share car and Scootering home.”
Corson goes on to say “With CO2 emissions at an all time high and the World Health Organisation estimating that 4.6 million people dying each year from air pollution related diseases, our customers do really get a feel good factor by driving a pure electric vehicle. Not only are they really good fun to drive, but they enjoy doing their little bit to create a better environment.”
Car Sharing is a well established transport option in Europe and North America, where on average 9 cars are removed from the road for every shared car that is made available. Corson confirms that Yoogo Share has already seen members sell their second car, or selling their only car, to use the fleet of shared electric cars.
Sharing is Caring: Metropol
As the electric car movement heats up in New Zealand, a local start-up has chosen Christchurch as the first city in the country to launch its innovative, future-focused car sharing initiative. Cantabrians using Yoogo Share have already saved 50 tonnes of carbon, or the equivalent of more than 20,000 litres of petrol being used.
For Kirsten Corson, getting behind the wheel of a traditional combustion engine vehicle is akin to driving an old tractor. But put her behind the wheel of an electric car and she’s a happy woman. Not surprising then that she is helping more Kiwis experience the thrill of going electric, as the General Manager of Yoogo Share, the company behind New Zealand’s first 100 percent electric car sharing service.
Launched in Christchurch in February, Yoogo Share has brought 100 pure electric vehicles (EVs) to eight (and counting!) locations throughout Christchurch. It’s free to join and there are no membership fees; simply sign-up (membership criteria applies), get sent a Yoogo Share access card, then book and drive the vehicles as and when needed.
Christchurch City Council initiated the service when they put out a tender in 2017 for electric car sharing as part of the city’s rebuild. Fast forward to early 2018 and Kirsten found herself officially launching Yoogo Share alongside Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Yoogo Share business members love driving the electric cars for getting to meetings and running errands. A more convenient option than ride hailing or public transport, they’re also great fun to drive. Plus, you only pay for the time you use the car, with all other costs including insurance and storage covered by the hourly rate.
Get the first hour of your booking free for up to five bookings to test drive the electric cars
Meanwhile, for private members, the shared electric cars are a great alternative to a second car, with many families choosing to sell their second car that often sits unused. For people who commute to work via public transport, walking or cycling, the cars are ideal for those times when you do need a car such as picking up shopping or longer journeys when public transport isn’t an option. So why share? With petrol prices higher than ever before and the high cost of purchase for electric cars, you can drive an electric car without having to buy one. In fact, no insurance, WOF, registration, repairs, maintenance or fuel costs. Plus, with no tailpipe emissions, Yoogo Share is helping improve Christchurch’s air quality.
With 50 tonnes of carbon savings already under their belt, Yoogo Share’s members are expected to make 100 tonnes of carbon savings by Christmas. To mark the milestone, the company partnered with the Department of Conservation, Meridian Energy and Hyundai to help restore the Evans Pass valley, planting 1,000 native trees to represent the kilometres travelled by Yoogo Share members.
To try out the electric car sharing experience, the first hour is free for 1,000 bookings for Yoogo Share private members, thanks to their energy partners in Canterbury, Meridian Energy. Private members can get the first hour of their booking free for up to five bookings, giving everybody the opportunity to try Yoogo Share cars. So what are you waiting for? After all, sharing is caring.
Get out of town: Journey Planners now online
We’ve put together guides for taking a Yoogo Share car out of Christchurch, to let you know the best places to charge your car (and yourself) in and on the way to Ashburton, Akaroa, Kaikoura & Timaru.
With 200km ranges, Yoogo Share cars can travel out of town easily, with a little planning. We’ve done that for you, so you can just enjoy the drive.
See the following Journey Planners to find out more about travelling out of Christchurch.
We’re working on more Journey Planners, but if there is a destination missing from this list that you’d love to see, please email us, and we’ll get cracking on putting something together for you. Otherwise, visit PlugShare - the crowd-sourced app that with comprehensive info on charging stations around the country.
Improving Christchurch’s air quality, one trip at a time
Christchurch people using electric car sharing service Yoogo Share have saved 50 tonnes of carbon, or the equivalent of over 20, 000 litres of petrol being consumed[i].
Kirsten Corson, the General Manager at Yoogo Share, says the company now has over 3,000 members in Christchurch.
“We’re aiming to hit 100 tonnes of carbon savings in Christchurch by the end of this year. The level of support we’ve received from businesses and private members in Christchurch has been fantastic.
“The cars are fun to drive as well as being great for the environment. Using Yoogo Share means you can book and drive a pure electric car without buying one. You can say goodbye to fuel, service and repair bills and do your little bit for a sustainable New Zealand.”
To celebrate the major milestone, the company recently planted 1000 native trees in Evans Pass to help restore the valley. Yoogo partnered with the Department of Conservation, Meridian Energy and Hyundai to mark the milestone, along with members of their car sharing service.
“The native planting efforts in Evans Pass represent the kilometres travelled by our members. It’s a great way to give back.” Corson said.
The concept of electric car sharing was an initiative led by the Christchurch City Council as part of their transition into becoming a smart city and reducing emissions of their staff driving around the city. To date, Yoogo Share has around 100 pure electric cars in their fleet across eight hubs in Christchurch and have recently opened a new hub in Auckland.
The cars are available to book by the minute, hour, day, night or weekend and are a solid option for businesses or individuals who want to make some smarter decisions around their cars & mobility.
[i] https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
Drive electric on us... 1st hour FREE thanks to Meridian Energy
We’re giving away 1,000 hours FREE thanks to Meridian Energy
We want you to experience just how great our fleet of shared electric cars are to drive, so with the help of our friends at Meridian Energy, we're offering the first hour free for 1,000 bookings for Yoogo Share private members.
All you need to do, is sign up to Yoogo Share as a private member (it's free to join), enter the promo code 'meridian' when you make a booking, and you'll get the first hour on us - easy.