Mercury has used leading Kiwi ingenuity to change a gas-guzzling 1957 Ford Fairlane – Evie - to plug-in electric, creating a vehicle destined to be a poster-child for electric vehicles.

That ‘poster-child' is currently on display in the showroom of Ultimate Motor Group on Hewletts Road.

Evie has been touring the country for some time, showing people how fun electric vehicles can be, as well as showcasing the great advantage New Zealand has in our renewable energy supply.

'Converting a classic like this is the perfect way to get people to see how wonderful EVs are. We've kept the original beauty of the car, and added a newer, cleaner engine that's strong and powerful but just happens to run on electricity. It's given the car a new lease on life,” says Mercury Chief Executive Fraser Whineray.

He says the company would use the car to continue to showcase the opportunity New Zealand has with renewable electricity powering our transport.

'We've been showing Kiwis how much fun electric bikes can be, now we want to do the same with EVs.”

'We have all the key ingredients needed to electrify transport: one of the best renewable electricity systems on the planet and a raft of already-consented renewable projects in the pipeline.”

Russell Pedersen who is the Dealer Principal at Ultimate Motor Group says that people wanting to see the car in person can come visit the showroom, sit in Evie and have a photo taken.

'It's really cool to have Evie in Tauranga, it's an iconic car for a start and good on Mercury Energy for converting her to an electric vehicle.”

'We are pleased that they gave us this opportunity to put her in the showroom and we are hoping to see as many people as we can come through and have a look.”

Evie will be in the Ultimate Motor Groups showroom at 150 Hewletts Road until Saturday September 22.