Malaysian-based developer EcoWorld is offering potential residents of its Yarra One apartment development exclusive access to a Tesla car share scheme – part of a growing number of green marketing strategies in the apartment sector, particularly in Melbourne.
According to a spokesperson for the developer, it’s not yet known how many Teslas will be part of the car share offering, though initial thoughts are that there will be “around two vehicles” offered for the 26-storey, 256-apartment luxury development. Residents will be able to book the cars through the body corporate and hire them for day trips.
The development will feature just 163 car spaces – a ratio of about 0.6 parks per apartment – in part due to the South Yarra development’s proximity to public transport and high “walk score” of 92 out of 100. Park spaces will also have the option to be fitted with electric chargers.
“South Yarra is the sixth most walkable city in the state, with residents having access to everything they need right on their doorstep, so a car isn’t needed for daily errands,” EcoWorld Senior Project Manager Cliff Tan said.
“However, for residents wanting to go on a day trip or to visit family and friends further away, the option is there to hire a Tesla from the comfort of their own home.”
He said car share and electric vehicles were growing in popularity, with each car share representing a reduction of 10 privately-owned vehicles.
“EcoWorld adopts an environmentally responsible approach in all of its projects so it was important that we future-proofed Yarra One, particularly as more and more individuals turn towards electric vehicles and opt for car-sharing,” Mr Tan said.
“Offering car-sharing also means we won’t need car parks for every single apartment, so for those who don’t own a car, they’re not having to pay for something that they don’t need.”
There are other sustainability features included in the development, which has scored a 4 Star Green Star rating. These include a solar PV system to partially offset common area power consumption, low-VOC materials, water-efficient fixtures and fittings, a 100% STORM rating and a communal terrace.