1.
Where is SHPG?
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| SHPG
is in the lower part of the South Island
of New Zealand. The Proving Grounds are located
about 1500m above sea level in the Cardrona
Valley, close to two popular tourist towns
Wanaka and Queenstown. Please check these
pages for more information: Location - About NZ |
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| 2.
What is the altitude at SHPG? |
| The
altitude at SHPG is around 1500m above sea
level. Specific tracks range in altitude
from 1450m to 1550m. |
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| 3.
What is the coldest month / when could
I test at SHPG? |
| The
coldest month is usually July. SHPG operates
from late June to late August. Although there
is usually snow well into September the temperatures
are mostly too warm for testing in September.
Please check the weather page for more information |
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| 4.
What is the typical daily temperature trace
at SHPG? |
 |
At
SHPG the average night time temperatures
are around -5° Celsius. The average day time
temperatures are around 0- +2° Celsius. This
graph shows typical daily temperature cycles
for nominal and coldest days at SHPG. Please
see the weather page for more information and SHPG temperature archives. |
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| 5.
What testing tracks can I use at SHPG? |
SHPG
has a variety of snow and ice surfaces
(flats and circles), split µ surfaces including
gradients and varying ride and handling
courses (handling tracks). At SHPG you
have exclusive use of a “Facility”. Each
“Facility” is made up of a combination
of tracks and a workshop. For example: †† Facility
1 = Workshop 1 (15m x 12m + office 8m
x 12m)
Snow Flat 1 (375m x 40m)
Handling Track 1 (1300m)
Or
Facility 4 = Workshop 4 (16m x 10m + Offices
8m x 10m and 8m x 5m)
Snow Flat/Circle 4 (R65)
Handling Track 4 (1400m)
Split µ 4 (100m x 5m)
Split µ gradient (6% 10% 15% 25%)
You
book an entire “Facility” for your exclusive
use that best suits your testing requirements.
There are 12 separate facilities to choose
from at SHPG. Track sharing is negotiable
between Facility reservation holders
and SHPG. Please see the Facilities page for further information and track specifications.
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| 6.
What speed can we test to at SHPG? |
SHPG
Ride & Handling courses can facilitate speeds up to 100km/h. Our Snow Flats range in
length from 375m to 800m which can facilitate
speeds in excess of 100km/h depending on
the vehicle and type of test conducted.
Higher accelerations and higher speeds can be conducted
using our dry sealed ABS strips, although not all
accommodate prolonged driving from the ABS strips. |
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| 7.
Can we make special test or special test
track requests before or during our testing
programme? |
| SHPG's
trained staff can facilitate most special
test requirements. Our staff are skilled in
ice & snow surface preparation and can tailor specific surfaces or courses to ensure
your test requirements are met and are repeatable.
Our staff can also facilitate or procure
most requested support service such as specialised
test equipment, test fuels & gasses or mechanical plant & equipment rental. Please enquire about your special needs. Contact Us |
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| 8.
Are there multi user facilities at SHPG? |
| SHPG
has a covered artificial ice strip (200m
x 20m) that in the past has been booked separately
to the other “Facilities”. The covered ice is booked as part of Facility 11. This means that 8 hours per day is dedicated to Facility 11 use. Outside these hours it is available for other clients to book. Please see Covered Split µ for more information.
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| 9.
Do I have to bring my own fuel? |
You
can purchase unleaded 91 and 96 octane petrol
onsite at SHPG. SHPG can arrange to get 98
unleaded petrol delivered to SHPG (you need
to ask to us in advance).
Caltex NZ supplies diesel to SHPG. As of January
1 2006, New Zealand diesel will contain not more
than 50 ppm sulphur. Please see Caltex
NZ website for more information on these changes. |
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| 10.
Can we safely & securely send secret or prototype vehicles to SHPG? |
We
at SHPG are committed to ensuring the security
of your test programme and its sensitive
products. As such we work closely with Government
agents, shipping & transport suppliers to ensure prompt, safe and secure handling and delivery
of your goods to our facility. Whilst at
SHPG your security is our priority and we
are highly committed to ensuring your test
programme runs smoothly without the need
for security concerns. However, as with any
external test programme security at all times
can't be totally guaranteed and as such we
make the following recommendations for you
to follow.
a. Use our recommended shipping agents and freight
forwarders where ever possible.
b. Use vehicle camouflage and secure packaging
where possible.
c. Ensure secure transport methods of you goods
from your country of origin.
d. Ensure appropriate shipping preclearance with
your (our) agents and NZ customs. |
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| 11.
How do I get freight to SHPG? |
You
(or your shipping company) ships or airfreights
your freight to New Zealand. It is cleared
customs in either Auckland or Christchurch
(be careful that you or your shipper are
prepared to pay NZ customs duties or taxes
where applicable to avoid delivery delays).
After customs clearance a freight forwarder
will transport your freight from Auckland
or Christchurch ports to SHPG. The transporter
will deliver your freight to your booked
“Facility”. SHPG has forklifts and staff
available to help unload and load freight.
However we cannot guarantee that freight
is delivered to your facility unless you
address it to that facility.
E.g.: Cool Car Company
Att: Mr. Smith
Facility 10
SHPG
Cardona Road
Wanaka
New Zealand
SHPG can recommend agents to organise complete
freight solutions for you.
Please see the Freight
page for more information |
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| 12.
Do you offer testing services at SHPG? |
| SHPG offers tyre/vehicle evaluation services. Our staff are experienced engineer-evaluators with the instrumentation and knowledge to provide you with quality, unbiased subjective and objective evaluation data. Using the latest GPS and accelerometer technologies we can provide the objective data you require along with the subjective commentary necessary to define the dynamic characteristics of your winter test procedures. We have experience with the maneuvers, rating scales, and objective tests required by many OEMs, and we can custom tailor tests to your requirements by working with you to design tests to fit your needs from defining surface and environmental constraints to developing customer based report formats. Let us assist your product development process either as an adjunct to your team or as an independent test provider. |
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| 13.
Do I need to book in advance to come to
SHPG? |
Yes!
Because SHPG has a short testing season
(late June to late August) our facilities
book out very quickly. We have many long
standing clients some of whom make booking
requests almost a whole year in advance.
To have a good chance of securing a suitable
booking, we suggest that you complete the online booking form or contact us before the end of January. However please do contact us at any time to see what
facilities are available. This
is the typical booking process:
1. Complete online booking
request form or contact admin@shpg.co.nz preferably by 31st January
2. Reply from SHPG re booking availability
3. Both parties agree on facilities and dates
and fees (NZD)
4. Both parties sign booking confirmation
5. Customer makes non refundable 70% deposit
payment on or before 31st March
6. Booking becomes secure
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| 14.
Are there any visa requirements to enter
New Zealand? |
| Yes.
All persons who will be testing or evaluating
(working) at SHPG are required by NZ law
to obtain a NZ work visa. The work visa is
usually issued before you leave your home
country but processing can take some time.
We suggest you apply for your work visa at
least 4 weeks prior to your arrival in NZ.
If you enter NZ on a visitor visa (i.e. as
a tourist usually does) you will need to
apply for a NZ work permit once you are here.
SHPG can help. Just fill in the online application
form and we take care of the rest for you.
Please see Work Visas for more information. |
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| 15.
Can we rent test equipment and/or buy testing
consumables at SHPG? |
| Yes,
SHPG can arrange the rental of test and data
acquisition equipment and general testing
consumables for you. However, some requests
require sufficient lead times to arrange
with our suppliers and we thus, ask you to
confirm your requirements at the time of
making your booking. |
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| 16.
What is the electrical and power voltage
system at SHPG? |
| Electricity
is supplied throughout NZ at 230/240 volts,
50 hertz. At SHPG we have transformers to
convert voltage to 110 volts. Most hotels
and motels in NZ provide 110-volt ac. sockets
(rated at 20 watts) for electric razors only.
NZ/Australia socket adaptors can be purchased
from "Smith City" Reece Crescent, Wanaka. |
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| 17.
Can I access high speed internet at SHPG? |
| Yes.
We provide access to a Fibre Optic network – current speed is 10Mbps Please see Communications for more details on Fibre Optic Network at SHPG. |
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| 18.
Does SHPG have vehicles I can rent for
testing purposes? |
| SHPG
does not own specific vehicles for testing
purposes however we can often source vehicles
(from rental car businesses, car dealerships
or privately owned) for you to test with.
Please see Vehicle Rental. |
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