A group of Queenstown business leaders have
joined forces to undertake a feasibility study and
consenting pathway for Whoosh, an electric transport
solution to tackle the town’s congestion
challenges.
The consortium of leaders from
NZSki, Remarkables Park, Skyline, Queenstown Airport
Corporation, Technology Queenstown and Queenstown Resort
College have initiated the work to consider whether a staged
network of autonomous electric vehicles running on cables
and rails above existing roads can significantly improve
transport options for Queenstown’s residents and
visitors.
The announcement of the consortium’s
formation was made on the first day of Electrify Queenstown
2026 – New Zealand’s premier event on electrification,
clean energy and sustainable business.
The group is
applying its extensive capabilities and experience to
advance a networked transport solution for Queenstown. They
have also opened discussions with Southern Infrastructure,
the company promoting the Queenstown Cable Car proposal, and
will continue to explore possible opportunities to ensure
Queenstown’s transport options are fully
optimised.
“Traffic congestion in Queenstown is
affecting daily commutes, business productivity and the
visitor experience. It has real costs for locals and the
town’s reputation – and there is an urgent need to
explore new approaches alongside traditional public
transport options,” explains group spokesman Matthew
Day.
“The businesses behind this work, like all
residents, depend on Queenstown functioning well. That gives
us all the incentive and the responsibility to help progress
practical solutions.”
Advertisement – scroll to continue reading
The Whoosh network is proposed
to be staged, with an initial focus on local journeys
including along Frankton Road, from downtown to the airport
through and around Remarkables Park to the The Remarkables
Ski Area Transport Hub on the southern side of the Kawarau
River.
Whoosh works as a network of routes that can be
easily added to in a modular manner, supporting and
integrating with other transport options to form an
integrated multi-modal distribution network. That
flexibility means Whoosh could serve everyday travel
patterns across and around urban Queenstown, including key
local destinations like Wakatipu High School, supermarkets,
and residential suburbs.
About
Whoosh
Whoosh is an on-demand, electric
transport system that uses small, autonomous pods travelling
along an elevated guideway. Its modular, elevated guideways
can be built along existing roads, across rivers or on
consented private land. Using the Whoosh App, riders hail or
pre-book an autonomous electric vehicle to the nearest
Whoosh Point (station or stop) for rider
pick-up.
Whoosh has been developed by
Christchurch-based engineering company Holmes Solutions –
which has worked with global household brands including 3M,
Google, Hilti, and NASA. Whoosh has made significant
progress in the past 12 months, developing the product
concept and proof of
operation.