A Northland man who founded a company to revolutionise transport by providing electric drive trains for trucks, is specifically coming to New Zealand to deliver an address at TEDx Christchurch 2015: Think Again.
Ian Wright co-founded Tesla Motors, which now has a market capitalisation of more than US$30 billion and is famous worldwide for its high-end electric cars.
After leaving Tesla in 2005, he founded Wrightspeed (http://www.wrightspeed.com), which builds range extended electric power trains for medium and heavy duty trucks.
Electric vehicles won’t just appear on Wright’s slides, though.
Attendees will get to explore creations from the EVolocity programme, in which high school students build electric bikes with support from polytechnic tutors, EVolocity facilitators and volunteers from the engineering community. Meridian Energy will also be onsite with its electric vehicle charging station.
Now in its sixth year, the TEDx Village will take up The Press carpark and extend down Gloucester Street, with main stage content in the Isaac Theatre Royal.
“This is the most ambitious event we’ve ever done,” says Curator Kaila Colbin. “Our team has been taking the theme, Think Again, to heart.”
The Think Again theme has permeated everything from the content of the talks to the catering to the visual identity, which Creative Partner Strategy Design and Advertising has interpreted as “changing your angle”.
The theme has also influenced the process for attending. Unlike in previous years, there is no application form. Event memberships cost $139 and include all catering for the day including free barista coffee from Hummingbird and Coffee Worx.
Also included is the event afterparty and the goody bag. Memberships are available at tedxchristchurch.com and through Eventfinda.com.
More than 1,000 people have bought memberships to the one-day event.
While Youth and stall memberships are sold out, there are some dress and grand memberships remaining.
Donor memberships are also available, offering the exclusive opportunity to meet the speakers before the event.
