Leatherhead, 4th October – Hyundai welcomed village residents to The World’s First Car Powered Fete, following research showing that over half (60%) of rural dwellers have made changes to try and be more sustainable in the last 12 months, with habits including using a refillable water bottle (53%) and having shorter showers (44%) listed.
Hyundai put on the never seen before rural event to engage directly with village communities and to highlight the many ways that electric vehicles can help people live more sustainably. The fete was powered by Hyundai’s Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) feature, which takes electricity from its electric cars to power anything, anywhere.
Hyundai chose the village of Chettle to put on the reimagined fete. The village is passionate about sustainability, from using as little packaging as possible in the village store, to ensuring that over 80% of the kit for the new store development is reused or bought as second hand. The village also has a 40 year vision centring around nature restoration and local, organic food.
The pioneering experiential concept explored what the future of the village fete could look like, and the role innovation can play in celebrating sustainably. The event featured local food stalls from Baboo Gelato and Cranborne Chase Cider, music from loop guitarist John Clapper, a digital maypole featuring a spectacular light display and a variety of fair games from a Helter Skelter to an IONIQ 6 buzzer game – all powered by Hyundai’s clean mobility solutions.
TV chef and broadcaster Matt Tebbutt hosted the fete and talked on stage about the importance of shopping locally for seasonal and organic produce, as well as judging the all-important three-egg omelette challenge!
The concept followed a new study which revealed the sustainability habits of those across the UK and specifically the differences between those in living in the countryside vs those in the city. The research revealed that overall 57% of us have made efforts to live a more sustainable lifestyle, yet barriers for those in the countryside remain, with those surveyed listing poor public transport (45%) and costs (48%) as the main reasons.
The research also found that those in cities say it’s harder to be sustainable due to less green space (46%) and the fact that everyone is always in a rush (40%). Indeed, one fifth (20%) of those who have moved from the city to the country did so to embrace a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Other factors that would make people consider the move to a more rural destination are the fact that it’s quieter (35%), there’s cleaner air (38%) and less traffic (30%).
However, despite barriers, Brits are trying to make changes. Respondents said that limiting food waste (66%), using bags for life at the supermarket (64%) and turning off the lights in the house (64%), were all habits they have made a conscious effort to take up over the past year.
Matt Tebbutt, who hosted the fete, said: “One of my favourite things about living in the countryside is the variety of weird and wonderful village fetes you see. This event captured all the best bits about living rurally; seasonal produce, community spirit and a passion for protecting the planet. It’s amazing that Hyundai has chosen to focus their innovation on a true gem of British culture and I’m really excited to be a part of it. Not to mention I’m incredibly impressed that a fete can be run off electric cars!”
Ashley Andrew, President, Hyundai Motor UK, said: “We’re committed to using technology and innovation to progress humanity and our Village-2-Life concept has been inspired by our product’s unique ability to bring power to unexpected places.
“We chose Chettle as the village aligns strongly with our own brand ethos,and we were impressed by the small community’s focus on safeguarding its beautiful landscape for the future as well as acting in a more environmentally responsible way.
“We hope that the event inspires the broader community to think creatively about what they can do in their own lives to live better for the future. As we move forward to a net zero future, we know that EVs offer many benefits and consumer education remains an important part of that journey.”
The construction and operation of the Chettle village Store showcases the community’s collective drive to improve sustainability in their local area. Over 50% of the timber used in the village shop roof, walls and shelving units has been harvested from the estate and milled on site and less than 0.25% of food that has gone out of date ends up in landfill.
Josh Duhrigg, Manager of Chettle Village Store, said: “We’re very excited to be hosting the World’s First Car Powered Fete. We think it’s a great opportunity for the local community to come together and enjoy delicious local food and entertainment, all powered by Hyundai’s Vehicle to Load technology”.
Hyundai’s all-new KONA Electric, IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 are able to power the village fete using its V2L feature that supplies AC power (230V/50Hz) up to a maximum of 3.6kW (or 15 Amps) power consumption. An adapter from the car provides a socket into which standard domestic appliances can be plugged into.
