The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland held its annual Motorfest day the 19e June. Unfortunately, it was the same date as Noosa Electric Vehicle Show and I couldn’t attend. Many of my friends have done this and they have graciously allowed me to use their comments.
RACQ Events Manager Tamara Van Der Walt said another highlight of this year’s event will be the Future Zone, which delves into the exciting technologies that are reshaping the automotive industry. “The Future Zone will showcase the latest technology in low-emission vehicles and the future of mobility,” said Van Der Walt.
“The RACQ has been providing services to motorists for many years. I have been a member for over 40 years and have had to avail myself of their services. It was mainly for George, my 1964 Wolseley. It was during one of these visits that the roadside assistance mechanic also met Tess (my 2019 Tesla 3) and we had a discussion about the RACQ plan to be ready for the future. He told me about roadside assistance vans that were already equipped with electric vehicle battery chargers. I’m grateful we didn’t have to use one, although we did appreciate the RACQ tow truck when a large chunk of steel went through the rear tire of our Tesla on the way to Warwick.
ride4U RACQ
Katrina tells me that June 19 was a beautiful day with perfect weather and really well attended. There was something for everyone, from classic cars to beautiful Jaguars to modern electric vehicles in the Future Zone. Electric vehicles were well represented with a range of BEVs from Tesla, Hyundai, Porsche, Kia and Mazda had a hybrid. There was a hydrogen vehicle from Queensland Transport as part of their future energy strategy.
There was even a Volvo truck and an electric scooter.
The EVs were nicely juxtaposed with the vintage cars, as well as the RACQ booth which featured a kids craft section of the fabulous Reverse Garbage and of course food, face paint and kiddie rides. Charging infrastructure providers were also represented at the Futures area, ReGenEV, PlugShare and Chargefox.
Arran from ReGenEV tells me that there were a lot of people very interested in the Future Zone, and EVs in general. His Tesla Model X received a lot of attention, especially when he did his light show. ReGenEV has received a wide variety of business leads ranging from large apartment complexes to basic home installations.
ReGenEV even received a visit from ABC News. The segment aired that night as part of their nightly weather timeslot. The segment features a snippet of the ReGenEV display and had a sweet young kid for an up close interview in our Tesla Model X.
The Future Zone was popular
Next year, however, Arran will be doing a section of his X, for viewing only. Too many kids have played with the screen, changed settings, and left their footprints and fingerprints behind.
Adam suggested that soon his “Tesla” will be normal – so maybe next year RACQ should rename the Future Zone to the Electric Vehicle Zone. He would like the Zone to be relocated to a place that is easier for the public to find. Of the hundred people who looked at his car, about 30 asked questions. Most were curious questions, some were provocative. “Come join the sect!” someone shouted.
The event was well supported by the electric vehicle community, including the Australian Electric Vehicle Association and the Tesla Owners Club. Well done RACQ, check out their electric vehicle reviews on the back of their club magazine. Six of the best indeed.
By David Waterworth with a little help from his friends