Electric vehicle enthusiasts will have a rare opportunity to see New Zealand's only Tesla Cybertruck this weekend at Taupō's Electricarna event.
The showcase, running from 10am to 2pm on Saturday at Northcroft Reserve, will feature electric vehicles from across the country, with the American-made Cybertruck expected to draw significant attention.
"We've got the Electricarna event where we've got electric vehicles coming from all around the country and we've got a few really exciting ones," said Steve Greenwood from Drive EV, Taupō's dedicated electric vehicle dealership.
The Tesla Cybertruck, owned by Tesla New Zealand, is currently the only one in the country and features left-hand drive configuration. Greenwood described it as "one of those cars that you have to have a look at yourself before you can judge it."
According to Greenwood, the vehicle boasts impressive specifications. "This is a fully electric ute, I think they have a tow rating of about 4 tonne. The high performance one goes 0-100 in 2.7 seconds which is pretty hard to get your head around but they are a serious piece of technology."
The event has moved to Taupō from its previous location in New Plymouth, offering a more central venue in what organisers describe as "a town that embraces the EV movement."
Visitors to Electricarna will also have opportunities to test drive Tesla vehicles and view other electric models. Local dealers Drive EV will demonstrate vehicle-to-load technology, and attendees can even see an EV-converted Allegro.
For those concerned about electric vehicle battery life, Greenwood offered reassurance based on his nine years of experience in the Taupō EV market. "With the technology of the cars we're selling now, we're seeing degradation, that sort of loss of range of 1% a year if not less on some cars. So yeah that's quickly turning into a non-issue."
