MEDIA RELEASE

State of Hawai’i adds $150,000 to EV Ready Rebate Program, pushes deadline to March

HONOLULU – The State of Hawai’i is re-energizing its successful EV Ready Rebate Program with an additional $150,000 and has extended the deadline for rebates on new electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and chargers from January 31 to March 31, 2012.

Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and will run through the deadline or while funds are available, whichever comes first. The State anticipates an increase in consumer demand for new electric vehicles this year.

From early January 2011 to mid-January of this year, 528 rebates have been approved for 318 electric vehicles and 210 chargers, with $153,999 remaining in funding as of January 23. The additional funds increase the available total to $303,999. Rebate forms are available on the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) State Energy Office website at electricvehicle.hawaii.gov

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs will continue administering the EV Ready Rebate Program.

“The State of Hawai’i is definitely becoming a national leader when it comes to the acceptance of vehicles that are 100 percent electric,” said Mark Glick, Energy Program Administrator for the DBEDT’s State Energy Office. “With the cost of gas still on the rise, these vehicles offer consumers a cost-effective, long-term advantage. Expanding the EV Ready Rebate Program not only helps consumers today, but it will help our State in the long run as we work to reach our energy independence goals.”

Hawai’i residents can apply for State rebates of up to $4,500 on purchases of electric vehicles and up to $500 for electric vehicle chargers through the Hawai’i Electric Vehicle (EV) Ready Program. In addition to the State EV rebates, federal tax incentives of up to $7,500 are also available for highway-capable vehicles (the Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle credit, which applies to at least 200,000 units per auto manufacturer before it phases out). This allows for the potential of up to $12,500 in rebates and tax credits for an individual.

Many electric vehicle manufacturers are continuing to choose Hawai’i as an ideal location for many reasons, including:

• Consumers’ high level of enthusiasm to adopt electric transportation. Hawai’i has the largest number of reservations per capita in the country for the Nissan LEAF.
• Favorable electricity time-of-use EV charging rates from electric utility companies.
• Moderate climate, limited driving distances and a strong tourism industry are ideal for EV utilization.

“EV enthusiasts in Hawai’i have rewarded automakers for rolling out their new electric vehicles in the islands,” stated Dave Rolf, Executive Director of the Hawai’i Automobile Dealers Association. “The highest per capita U.S. market embrace of the Nissan LEAF was in Hawai’i this past year. The State’s addition of $150,000 in Hawai’i state tax rebates for consumers purchasing EVs will help keep the momentum on this important transition to renewable fuels.”

The EV Ready Program is funded by Federal stimulus funds administered by DBEDT. By April 2012, approximately 210 charging stations, at roughly 140 sites across all counties, will be installed as part of the EV Ready Grant Program. Some chargers will have the capacity to charge more than one vehicle at a time.

A listing of publically available EV charging stations in Hawai’i can be found on the Hawai’i Charging Station Database. This database is frequently updated as private and public organizations add charging stations across Hawai’i and as requests to post information are received. The database is available on DBEDT’s State Energy Office website at electricvehicle.hawaii.gov.

The EV Ready Grant and Rebate Programs are part of the Transportation Energy Diversification Project, which is supported by funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These funds are directed for use in the Hawai’i State Energy Program through the U.S. Department of Energy.

DBEDT’s Hawai’i Electric Vehicle EV Ready Program has also provided $2.6 million in grants for the systematic installation of electric vehicle chargers across the State; public education and outreach including an EV Ready Guidebook; introduction of EVs to rental car and county fleets; car-sharing services within the hospitality industry; and an online permitting system for charger installations at single-family residences on O’ahu.

The State of Hawai’i’s economic enterprise is to pursue energy independence by building a clean energy economy and reaching 70 percent clean energy by 2030. The DBEDT State Energy Office’s mission is to act as a catalyst for efficiency measures, renewable energy resources, transportation initiatives, green jobs, and investments in Hawai’i’s economy. For more information, visit www.energy.hawaii.gov