Electric vehicle advocacy group grows with new board members

As interest in electric vehicles increases locally, so too has the pulling power of the local lobby and advocacy groups designed to support the plug-in push. 

Drive Electric, one of New Zealand’s largest advocacy groups for electric vehicles, has announced two new board members; Kirsten Corson, co-founder of Zilch and Carbn Group Holdings, and Dennis Kelly, director of FleetPartners. 

“We are delighted to welcome Kirsten and Dennis to the Drive Electric board. Drive Electric is growing quickly, as e-mobility becomes an ever-important part of the future of transport,” says Drive Electric chair Mark Gilbert. 

“We are at a tipping point in the history of e-mobility. We are seeing a number of forces lining up, including government climate policy, technology, lowering EV prices and the relatively high cost of petrol,” Gilbert adds. 

“Both Directors bring exactly the skills and experience we need to seize this change, and redouble our commitment to promoting electric. They join a board of directors from across the e-mobility ecosystem.”

The new pair join Drive Electric’s current nine-strong board, which includes the aforementioned Gilbert, Tim Calder from Meridian Energy, managing director of ABB New Zealand Ewan Morris, Audi NZ general manager Dean Sheed, and ChargeNet chief executive Steve West. 

Corson’s firm, Zilch, is an all-electric mobility business. Carbon Group Holdings, meanwhile, runs Carbn Asset Management and Sustainable Fleet Finance; the former a plug-in consultation company and the latter a green-focused finance group for both plug-in vehicles and charging infrastructure. 

“I’m looking forward to making a positive contribution to the sector as we are in such an exciting growth phase across all forms of e-mobility,” says Corson.

Kelly’s firm meanwhile, FleetPartners, aids companies with their transition to zero-emissions vehicles. This includes its creation of a five-step framework to make the big change easier. 

“At FleetPartners we are passionate about helping New Zealand businesses significantly reduce their carbon footprint, which will contribute to New Zealand meeting its overall CO2 emission reduction targets. I’m personally delighted to be given the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution with the team at Drive Electric,” says Kelly.