By Maddy Lloyd
Leaders in smart innovation are gathering in Christchurch today to showcase the latest technology the city has to offer.
There's over 40 exhibitors at the town hall showcasing the latest and greatest in innovation.
One of the leaders at the forefront of the movement is electric vehicles.
Will Stewart from Christchurch EV Group will be trying to simplify the hi-tech machines.
“People want to figure out how they work, where the batteries are, so with this car we can say that’s the battery, that’s the shiny bit, that makes it go and really get into those questions for people who want to understand this new technology.”
And local company EV City has shown some innovation of its own to make this job easier.
“This was part of a project they did at EV City. The owner's dad is a builder so he got his own angle grinder and just cut away at it. He got some Perspex and glued up the bits that needed to be covered leaving us with this.
"Nissan did their own one and it cost them about $10,000 to do and EV City did this over a few weeks just with DIY tools,” Mr Stewart said.
Another enterprise used to DIY is Christchurch-based Space Craft Systems.
The company works with technology to create Wikihouses - a system that allows customers to be involved in the build process all while being as sustainable as possible.
“Our houses are extremely energy efficient. They’re low energy, nontoxic materials as well as eliminating plastics and concrete as far as possible.
“Basically what we're trying to do is address the climate emergency by building houses,” says Space Craft Systems' Danny Squires.
And from above the ground to below it, City Care Water's trialling underground instrument technology which its digital networks manager, Hugh Blake-Manson, says is world class.
“We're looking at changes near real time and when we see those we start asking more questions and can look and see and adjust the network operation. These water devices are really cutting edge technology bought in from Europe."
The expo runs today at the Christchurch Town Hall.
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