Retirement village mulls banning electrical automobiles, bikes – even wheelchairs

Some residents at an Auckland retirement village need to put the brakes on a coverage that will ban any extra electrical autos (EVs) inside its gates.

Fairview Lifestyle Village in Albany mentioned it was involved concerning the threat an EV hearth would pose to the busy group’s residents and houses.

While uncommon, EV fires will be tougher to place out than petrol automotive fires and the village mentioned it was unclear who was legally chargeable for managing that threat.

The coverage was nonetheless in mediation, and residents who already owned electrical autos could be allowed to maintain them, but it surely was not letting any new EVs into the gated North Shore group.

As effectively as automobiles, the coverage prolonged to e-bikes, e-scooters and wheelchairs.

Retirement Village Residents Association chief govt Nigel Matthews informed RNZ’s Checkpoint this was the primary case regarding electrical autos that he had seen.

While the issuing had involved some retirement residents, he mentioned it was nice that session was underway.

“We have been aware that this has been an ongoing discussion since early February, March of this year and, unfortunately, some of these processes take a while.”

Matthews mentioned considerations concerning the dangers of EVs had seemingly been elevated by way of the media.

“There’s been obviously a tension in the media – as soon as there’s an EV that blows up or catches fire, it’s on the front page. [If] it’s a diesel or a petrol car, you won’t hear about it.”

He mentioned the problem was sophisticated by insurance policies being shaped after individuals had already moved in with EVs.

“Prior to individuals transferring in, no coverage on this. However, there’s clearly – you recognize – dialogue that has occurred, and now they’re wanting to place in a coverage, which might ban charging in your personal storage and clearly beneath within the automotive parking space of the condominium.

“I get it, but you know, if the council imposed a sudden policy change on me and said, ‘You can no longer charge your EV in your own personal garage’, we need to actually change that. I would then want to engage in consultation and I’d want there to be some sort of resolution.”

Despite the choice inflicting frustration for some, he mentioned the retirement village had acted correctly.

“The law’s pretty clear – if operators change something that’s going to have a material impact on you, then you must consult. These operators have done exactly that.”

There was at present no finish in sight for that session.

“At some level, there’s going to need to be a decision on the finish and you have got some residents that clearly need to have the ability to proceed to make use of their EV.

“It’ll be like telling someone who drives a Ford now, ‘You can no longer drive your Ford, but we’ve got some Holdens you might like’.”

Matthews mentioned if the village needed to have a look at additionally banning issues like electrical bikes and wheelchairs, they might have taken a broader take a look at the problem.

“I’ve seen the YouTube clips the place issues have exploded – both ebikes and EV of some kind which can be being charged after which simply caught alight… however I’ve additionally seen it with cell telephones.

“At what point do you actually stop and say, ‘We need to have a bigger holistic look at this and come up with some sensible parameters?'”

Fairview Lifestyle Village mentioned its overriding concern and goal was the protection of its 300 residents, in addition to workers, guests and property.

It mentioned, in New Zealand, the obligation framework across the secure administration of EVs in residential care settings was fully undefined, so it needed to outline its personal security parameters.

It mentioned it had taken a measured strategy in consulting on and growing a coverage to deal with the present know-how and set pointers for future developments.

Fairview Lifestyle Village mentioned it anticipated debate, and welcomed ongoing strong dialog to make sure that the coverage in the end applied was match for objective and put residents’ security first.

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