It’s lunch at Parliament on Day Two of the AA ENERGYWISE Rally

Running from Monday 11 to Thursday 14 October the two-yearly AA ENERGYWISE Rally is organised by the AA, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), and Gull Petroleum New Zealand.

After an overnight and refuel in Wanganui, the 49 drivers and their vehicles hit the road at 7.30am heading via Bulls to ‘The Square’ in Palmerston North. From here the rally continues to Ashurst and the Manawatu Gorge.

After Woodville, a right turn takes the rally onto SH2 heading to the Wairarapa, through the centre of Masterton before climbing the Rimutakas. The rally continues through the Hutt Valley before stopping in Wellington for a lunch break at in the Great Hall of Parliament with Minister of Energy and Resources, Hon. Gerry Brownlee between 11.30am and 1.45pm.

“The morning’s drive presents a mix of challenges for the drivers, particularly with steep climb over the Rimutakas and they’ll be working hard to get the maximum number of kilometres out of every drop of fuel they use,” says EECA Chief Executive Mike Underhill.

The afternoon drive entails a short drive up the Kapiti Coast on SH1 and into the centre of Levin. From here the rally continues on SH57 to the day's final destination in Palmerston North around 3.30pm where they will refuel at a Gull New Zealand service station and spend the night.

The total distance for the day is approximately 430km. It is the second stage in the 1,780km North Island route that tests drivers and vehicles on a combination of motorways, unsealed roads, rural state highways and rush hour traffic.