The Cutting Edge

Upfitted Hyundai Electric Blade Getz

Mass upfitting has come to New Zealand. South Korean Hyundai has introduced the first mass-upfitted electric car, the Getz. It will be on the streets of New Zealand within weeks. The Getz employs household recharging utilizing the same plug that powers electric shavers, cell phones and laptops. Charging costs about $2.00 per 100 km—not much more than running a toaster.

Mass upfitting—the new term for retrofitting—is the mechanism for moving a large number of new or existing gas and diesel vehicles to a non-oil fuel source. New Zealand is the first country worldwide to undertake this process on such a national scale. Edwin Black, author of The Plan: How to Rescue Society the Day the Oil Stops--or the Day Before, said, “New Zealand’s action is significant. It is proactively adopting one of the keys provisions for getting the country off oil.”

David Crawford, general manager land transport environment and safety for New Zealand’s Ministry of Transport supports Hyundai's emission-free electric cars. "The ministry sees it as an important first step towards…the Government's target to become one of the first countries in the world to widely use electric vehicles," he said.

New Zealand’s Energy Strategy sets its goal at electric cars being 5 per cent of market share by 2020 and 60% by 2040. While those target percentages may seem almost tokenistic in view of the 500 million gas consuming vehicles expected by 2030, Black commended the concept. “Mass upfitting is essential to post-oil survival. New Zealand has quietly taken a leadership role in this regard.”

Hyundai will ship its Getz models to New Zealand with gas or diesel engines intact. Blade Electric Vehicles, owned by Australian based Ross Blade, removes the original engine and turns each car into an emission free, electric vehicle. Blade developed the upfitting for Hyundai.

Power and acceleration of the new car compared favorably to the gas and diesel models. Top speed clocks in at a respectable 125 kph. The new car’s performance is expected to excite even the most doubting critics of electric cars capability.

The electric Getz battery will take between 1.5 and 3 hours to quick charge to 80% allowing for another 90 km. This will be adequate for commuter driving but unacceptable for longer distances. Batteries will costs around $3000 to replace, but are expected to last about eight years.
 
The tiny Getz will cost around $40,000 and feature power steering, air conditioning, tow bar, and air bags, all as standard features. Projected sales are 200 cars annually.