Waiheke’s EVs now make up about 12% of the island’s private fleet, compared to less than 1% of New Zealand’s national fleet.

Vern Whitehead, founder of Electric Island Waiheke (EIW), a lobby group aiming to accelerate EV uptake on the island and “get rid of the pollution, noise and cost of diesel and petrol powered engines,” says that when the group was formed in 2018 there were just 42 EVs registered on the island. “Now there are almost 600.”

He says the most successful move the group made to promote uptake was to borrow some EVs from a dealer in the city for residents to try. “Anyone who wanted to try an EV could have it for a day or two. Once you get someone behind the wheel of an EV that’s it - they’re sold.”

Whitehead says the effect has been “like ripples on a pond,” with more and more people catching the “EV bug”.

About 360 of the island’s fleet are Nissan Leafs. “I don’t know anywhere in the world that would have that many Nissan Leafs in one place.”

He says the Leaf is well suited to low-range trips that make up the majority of travel on the small island. “With normal island use, a person never needs to go to a public charger.”

Whitehead has owned a Leaf for six years and says it has been a great way to cut costs. “It’s not only that you don’t have to put petrol in, but you go to the service station just once a year and all you have to do to get a new warrant is to maybe get some new tyres and some wiper blades. If you have an ordinary vehicle there is so much maintenance.”

He says he’s one of many Waihekians who are pleased they’ve made the switch. “They call it the EV grin - you’re so smug. Harry Hoon can come alongside you at the lights in his V8 and, if you’re so inclined, this nana car pulls out and gives it the fingers and he can’t catch you.”

EIW wants the island to be free of fossil fuel vehicles and equipment by 2030. “It’s an aspirational goal,” Whitehead says.

But it’s a goal Waiheke is making progress towards. “We’ve got the first electric buses in Auckland, we’ve got electric rubbish trucks, we’ve even got an electric links mower at the golf course,” Whitehead says.

175 of the island’s homes have solar power installed, and businesses are starting to install solar as well.

Whitehead has solar in his home and says it is delivering great returns. “We’re getting about $200 to $300 in savings every month on a $25,000 investment.”

He says the island needs to aim for energy resilience. “We’re dependent at the moment on two cables that run from Auckland. When the cables were pulled up for maintenance, 78 anchors were attached. That shows how vulnerable we are.”

EIW would like to see a solar farm on the island, which would incorporate a local grid. “People who currently sell surplus energy would be able to sell or give it to others in the community. It would be a way to provide for people who can’t afford to pay their power bills.”

Despite Waiheke’s reputation for wineries and helicopter pads, Whitehead says that many Islanders are on modest incomes, and power poverty is a reality for some. “Waiheke is always regarded as an island of the rich and famous, but it has the lowest wages in Auckland.”

There are a lot of retired people and low-income families alongside the prominent wealthy population. “It’s very representative of ‘New Zealand Inc’ in that way.”

But he says going electric shouldn’t be an aspiration only for the wealthy. “We don’t have to be a wealthy community to electrify at an electrifying rate.”