This story first appeared in the february issue of Evtalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE
A world electric vehicle traveller nearing the end of his journey and one of the world’s fastest woman motorcycle riders are guest speakers at the Electric Vehicle Expo in Melbourne on March 16.
Wiebe Wakker has spent nearly three years travelling around the world to Australia in his converted “Blue Bandit” Volkswagen EV on his “Plug Me In” electric road trip to “inspire, educate and accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon future”.
He left his home in the Netherlands on March 15, 2016, with the aim of reaching Sydney, travelling overland wherever possible and relying on power supply and the generosity of people along the way.
Wakker has driven nearly 90,000km across 33 countries and been provided with meals, accommodation, and generally free charging for his EV in the process.
He’s well and truly beaten the previous record of 22,000km for the longest distance covered by an EV, plus been the first to cross so many countries to the other side of the world.
As well, he’s also the first person to drive a battery electric vehicle (BEV) through Turkey, Iran, India, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Documenting his travels on social media and through the internet, Wakker has been investigating sustainability and meeting people, businesses and others involved in such projects.
His story has spread around the world.
Wakker expects to make Sydney in a few weeks.
He has many stories to tell at the expo in the Melbourne International Karting Complex.
One is that before starting his journey he created a campaign image of himself holding a plug with a house in the background.
Later he learned the house is in South Australia, so stopped to see it on February 5.
There’s another story about his car too.
The VW he obtained was among 50 Golfs converted to electric in 2009 by a Dutch utilities company wanting EVs to research Vehicle to Grid (V2G) technology.
A 150kW electric motor and 37kWh battery was installed, providing about 200km range, replacing the original petrol tank and engine.
When Wakker returns home he plans a book and a movie about his exploits.
Another expo guest speaker setting records is one of the world’s fastest female battery powered motorcycle riders, Eva Hakansson of New Zealand.
She will probably have her three-wheeled racer Killajoule at the expo as she is racing at the Dry Lakes Racers Australia Speed Week on March 4-8 at Lake Gairdner in South Australia.
The doctor in mechanical engineering may be able to better the 434km/h she set at the Utah salt flats in the US on the same machine.
What’s probably even more incredible is that the Swedish-born Aucklander largely built the motorcycle and side-car herself in a garage.
“I’d rather spend time in the garage than the kitchen,” she quips.
Hakansson has crammed more into her 37 years than most people have achieved in a lifetime.
As her first name suggests, she’s passionate about EVs and helping the planet.
“Speed is a great way of showing the potential of battery power, because fast is always in fashion,” she says.
And she says KillaJoule’s other purpose is to show women can be excellent engineers, encouraging girls and women into science and technology careers.
The speedster even wrote a thesis on political incentives for introducing low emission cars back in 2005 when EVs were hardly mentioned.
Hakansson blames a “genetic disorder” for her engineering skills.
Both parents are mechanical engineers and both her brothers are electrical engineers.
Her dad Sven built and raced motorcycles and she learned much of her engineering in his workshop from a young age.
Hakansson is a lecturer in mechanical engineering at the University of Auckland, teaching computer aided design and engineering drawing to first year engineering students during the day and spending evenings working on KillaJoule.
Husband Bill Dube shares her electric racing passion and is an engineer himself.
They’re even making their own non-pneumatic tyres they dub “KiWieels” to avoid high-speed shredding.
Both are now working on an even faster electric bike with the working name “Green Envy”, which they hope to race about a year from now.
Melbourne EV expo visitors will also be able to take test rides and drives in EVs.
The event also features the latest in electric cars, bikes, scooters, motorbikes and even skateboards.
The show is free for anyone 17 years and under.
Booking by February 28 will put attendees into a draw to win one of five VIP packs which include fast-track passes to the front of any test drive or ride queue, plus much more.
The expo run by Renew, an Australian not-for-profit organisation promoting sustainable living.
includes a range of individually built EVs in the Show N Shine competition too.
The venue is at Todd Road and Cook Street in Port Melbourne, with the expo open 9am-4.
30pm.
Visit www.evexpo.org.au for more information.
