You can rent the Hyundai Kona & BMW i3 through Zilch as well. Europe Car also have the i3 available to rent.

BMW i3 not living up to "zero emissions" claim, on Whangamoa hill near Nelson:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/125008447/occupants-lucky-escape-as-vehicle-destroyed-in-highway-blaze

I think this is the first reported EV fire in NZ. However, the i3 has a REX version as well (a small petrol engine that extends the range) and it's not known if this model was configured this way or if that was the source of the fire.

Either way, car fires are not new. Where you have energy you have the risk of fire. 

'News' site link

Reminds me of that electric supercar crash where the fire burned for a week.  Aa new cell caught fire shortly after they'd just finished putting the fire out each time.

Fred99:

BMW i3 not living up to "zero emissions" claim, on Whangamoa hill near Nelson:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/125008447/occupants-lucky-escape-as-vehicle-destroyed-in-highway-blaze

 

 

 

 

Obraik:

 

I think this is the first reported EV fire in NZ. However, the i3 has a REX version as well (a small petrol engine that extends the range) and it's not known if this model was configured this way or if that was the source of the fire.

 

Either way, car fires are not new. Where you have energy you have the risk of fire. 

 

They keep updating the Stuff article.  It was a hybrid.  Confirming the source of the fire might be a tricky task - there's not much of it left.  

The fire was preceded by a warning on the car’s dashboard screen: “Can’t continue journey, contact the dealership immediately”. 

It's quite a long steep climb up that hill - heading east from Nelson.

The REX is located in the back of the i3 and the article mentioned that the smoke and fire started from the rear...so it's quite possible it was the ICE components that caused it.

Obraik:

 

The REX is located in the back of the i3 and the article mentioned that the smoke and fire started from the rear...so it's quite possible it was the ICE components that caused it.

 

Hmmmm....
https://insideevs.com/news/332573/19130-bmw-i3-rex-recalled-in-us-due-to-fire-riskthanks-to-its-gas-extender/

Ge0rge:

"Lucky Escape" but they had time to get all their gear out of the car first...

Yep, quick get out, it could explode at any moment, unpack all your gear and then evacuate immediately! 🤔

• 107kW AC synchronous electric motor
• 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery,
• more than 200km range (NEDC) and
• 0-100km/h acceleration in 9.7 seconds.

Wow. 75k for a 200km range, awesome....

Honda Jazz was in the news yesterday with electric options but no BEV. I got a FIT for golf, Id be into an EV Jazz. But no.