07-05-2013 Melbourne Electric Vehicle Expo

Aurora Vehicle Association continued their community involvement on Saturday 13 April showcasing Aurora Evolution at the Melbourne Electric Vehicle Expo.

Hosted at Swinburne University’s Hawthorn Campus, the Melbourne Electric Vehicle Expo is an informative and community involved event focused on demonstrating and exploring electric transport options with an emphasis on electric bikes. The expo also showcased a range of speakers, electric vehicles, panel discussions and live demonstrations.

Aurora’s Senior Electrical team members Joost Kuckartz and James Kirk manned the event fielding questions about the Aurora Evolution and talking to crowds mostly in the business themselves as well as students.

Joost with Aurora Evolution

Later in the afternoon, Joost gave a presentation focusing first on his involvement and beginnings in Aurora and his founding of Solar Team Twente in 2005 continuing on to talk about the Australian Design Rules and how they apply to electric cars.

Joost surmised the event brought in an older crowd with some students walking around the campus however the afternoon became busier and more families attended.

“The presentation provided a lively back and forth with a crowd who mostly were involved in some kind of electrical engineering work or solar electrical work,” he said.

“Speaking with one of the organisers the event was mostly focused on electric bikes, of which there were a lot, but the event gained so much interest from electric car owners as well and so almost all the regularly produced electric cars such as Tesla, GM Holden Volt, Mitsubishi i-MiEV and the Nissan Leaf were there.”

Joost with Aurora Evo and other

“Two owner-modified vehicles were present,” Joost said. “Of these, a Volvo won the Public Appreciation Award.”

The event organisers hope to see the expo as an annual fixture as part of Melbourne’s focus on all things renewable and environmental. The event was jointly organised by Swinburne University, the Boroondara Council and the Alternative Technology Association (ATA).

The ATA are a not-for-profit organisation promoting sustainable living, transport and technologies and achieves this through advocacy and projects, communication and publications and its branches and members.

Aurora plans to display Aurora Evolution at Clean Energy Week to be held in Brisbane from July 24-26. Clean Energy Week is Australia’s largest event for the energy efficient and renewable energy industry.