May the 4th be with you!
Some of the North Island based BNZT champions had an away weekend in Taupo to catch up with each other – several staying at the Wairakei Resort where some charging facilities can be used. However Taupo is now so well served with chargers that only a few took advantage of this destination charging opportunity!
The attendees:
Sean and Janine in a Model S
Greg and Kathryn in a Model S
The Smith family in a LR Model 3
Peter and Arlene Hewitt in a Model 3
Mark Buckingham and Snow in a LR Model Y
Phil Pingram in a Model Y
Tim Gutteridge in a Model 3
Margaret Baker in a Hyundai Kona
Ann Gaskin in a Model Y
Steve and Dee Hobo-Tuck in a Leaf
Robert and Vanessa in a Hyundai Ioniq 5
Mark Nolan in a BYD e6H
On the Friday evening, after a pre-dinner drink in Room 321, Steve and Dee took 6 of us to experience the Cosmopolitan Club in Taupo, where we partook of the ‘carvery’ meal – ham – and a selection of desserts for $30 a head! Live music completed the scene but we were sitting far enough away so as to carry on conversations without shouting!
Saturday morning saw 9 of us board the Ernest Kemp vessel and go out on the lake to see the Maori carvings on a rock face only accessible by boat. Done in the 1970s and 80s these carvings were quite spectacular – a full face moko plus a dragon on the rocks beneath. The lake was as calm as a millpond, the sun shone and we got great views of Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe – and only a sprinkling of snow was spotted on Ruapehu.
This was a holiday weekend by and large although we were privileged to be invited to the workshop domain of Ned of Drive EV on Sunday morning to see his new workshop and get to view some of the battery packs he works on, and to ask those questions that only a techie can answer – we were all very keen to get Ned’s insights.
The new favourite Tesla Supercharger location at Ruakura was visited by several of us at both ends of the weekend – the lunch offerings at the adjacent Camarosa café were good, but we felt we could only order quick meals as the charging rate was so good! A classic 6 stall location, with the possibility of expanding it in the future, this Supercharger is literally 1 km off SH1.