An elderly man is in Tauranga Hospital after the car he was driving smashed into a power pole today.

The man, aged in his 80s, was driving along Levers Road towards Tauranga City around 4pm when police say he blacked out behind the wheel.

A car has hit a power pole on Levers Road in Matua.

The car skidded out before smashing into a power pole near Matua School.

Police, firefighters and St John Ambulance were called to the crash just after 4pm and removed the man from car into the ambulance.

Constable Dean O'Connor says the man was lucid and talking in the back of the ambulance.

Impact of the crash has caused the power pole to split in two and power authorities on site report a crane will be needed to lift the power pole to allow the car to be removed.

Power may be out to parts of Matua for hours while the power pole is restored.