Tesla is making a push for customers in New Zealand through a new local promotional video posted to the company’s YouTube channel.
The promotional video comes on the heels of Tesla’s spectacular launch event in New Zealand that took place a few months after the company first began accepting online orders in November. New Zealand surfaced as a prime market for Tesla after strong Model 3 reservations in the country buffeted by a large existing base of Tesla fanatics who went so far as to import Teslas into the country, even starting a Facebook group dedicated to the ’cause’.
The latest promotional video by Tesla emphasizes the high tech nature of the vehicle, long range and great handling characteristics of its vehicles thanks to the low center of gravity made possible by the low-mount battery pack.
New Zealand provides over 80% of its energy from renewables which enables drivers moving from a petrol powered vehicle to an electric vehicle to significantly cut their carbon footprint simply by buying and driving a different vehicle.
With the nominal price of residential electricity in New Zealand having nearly doubled in the last 15 years, drivers are not setup to save a lot on fuel in a Tesla but this very same high pricing builds a natural bridge to the future for Tesla Energy storage and solar products. A Tesla Powerwall that is paired with an on-site solar system has the potential to save a homeowner on both the price of electricity and any net metering losses in the system. Tesla’s Powerwall will store power generated from the roof until it is needed, which is then relegated to a backup power source.
New Zealand sees the electric future and is planning for it accordingly. The country launched an incentive program in May of last year that aims to double the number of electric vehicles in New Zealand and achieve a target of 64,000 electric cars on the road by 2021. New Zealand has also provided electric vehicle drivers an exemption from Road User Charges until they reach 2% market penetration.
Tesla is making it clear that it wants to be a serious player in New Zealand, and is positioning itself within the country ahead of the Model 3 launch event which is expected to take place as early as June.
