Hawaii to roll-out large scale public electric vehicle charging infrastructure

Up to 320 AeroVironment charging docks will be installed in Hawaii

AeroVironment and Better Place are among six organizations to receive a share of US$2.6 million in federal stimulus funding as part of Hawaii's push to boost electric vehicle infrastructure. AeroVironment's $820,000 contract will see up to 320 of its EV charging docks rolled-out on the islands while the $854,000 awarded to Better Place will support the introduction of EVs to a rental car fleet as well as installation of charging stations.

The contracts were announced by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) as part of the EV Ready Grant Program.

AeroVironment will install public and semi-private charging docks throughout Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai. Data collection and analysis of the effect of charging infrastructure on the power grid forms part of the contracts and the company will partner with The Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), University of Hawaii at Manoa on this aspect of the project.

The remainder of the $2.6 million grants went to GreenCar Hawai'i ($200,000) , to introduce EVs to car-sharing services within the hospitality industry, Countyof Kauai, ($267,000), City & County of Honolulu ($400,000) for charging stations on Oahu, EVs and an online charger permitting system Plug In America ($50,000 for public education including an EV Ready Guidebook for Hawaii).

A rebate of up to $500 for installing charging docks is on offer from the State of Hawaii while EV purchasers are eligible for a rebate of up to $4,500. Hawaii has set a target of 70 percent clean energy by 2030. Currently around 268 of Hawaii's 900,000 + vehicles are registered as EVs.

Via Aerovironment, Better Place.