A Picton man without power is making the most of the situation by connecting the coffee machine, jug and toaster to his electric car.
Power is out to around 90,000 homes across the top of the South Island.
Rob McCaw managed to use his EV to power appliances during a power cut. Photo: Supplied / Rob McCaw
Picton resident Rob McCaw luckily gave his MG electric car a charge with solar panels on Wednesday allowing for a hot breakfast on Thursday morning.
"I've got an extension lead from the car through the window, and a couple of extension leads running across the lounge floor," he said.
"The first and most important one was getting the jug on and then the toaster this morning. The internet was next in line.
"I haven't got the fridge and freezer on yet, but I thought if it stays out too long I'll plug those in later.
He said all the appliances have to be run via extension cords because New Zealand doesn't yet have the legislation to allow the car to plug directly into the normal home circuits.
"You gotta do it a bit mickey mouse," he said.
He was able to use his jug, toaster and coffee machine this way. Photo: Supplied / Rob McCaw
McCaw said he'd only used a couple of percentages off the battery.
"It's a 64kw hour battery, and we've got solar panels here... it's currently sitting on 64 percent".
McCaw said it only used a couple of percentages off the EV battery. Photo: Supplied / Rob McCaw
McCaw said not all electric cars can do it, but his one works like a giant power bank.
"You just have to have an adapter and then the car has a setting and you can choose how low you let the battery go before it stop taking the power out so you don't get stranded.
"You've got to be a little bit sensible with these things, but it's a good party trick."
Next on the list of priorities after the all important 10am coffee.
He admitted the system was a bit "mickey mouse" but said you still had to be sensible. Photo: Supplied / Rob McCaw
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