Categorized | Business, Energy

Better Place launches electric car charging network

MEDIA RELEASE

Better Place is activating the largest electric car charging network in Hawaii, offering drivers free charging via more than 130 charge points through the end of 2012.

The network allows drivers to charge their electric cars at locations on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island that include hotels, resorts, office buildings, shopping centers, parking garages, businesses and public venues.

“As more Hawaii drivers experience the benefits of electric cars, it is important to have the network that gives people convenient access to charge their cars,” said Brian Goldstein, director of Better Place in Hawaii. “The Better Place network of Charge Spots on four islands offers more public charge points per capita in Hawaii than any other state. Our multi-island network is another step toward making sustainable transportation a reality in Hawaii and moves us toward achieving the state’s goal to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels by at least 70 percent by 2030.”

“As electric car adoption grows, we are excited to see the Better Place charging network in place and ready to support the Aloha State’s growing number of Nissan LEAF drivers,” said Brendan Jones, director, Nissan EV Marketing, Sales and Strategy, Nissan North America Inc. “Nissan understands the importance of locations to plug in when it comes to making EVs more convenient and enabling drivers to take full advantage of all electrified transportation has to offer.”

To use the network, drivers can sign up for a free membership and see an interactive map of Charge Spot locations at www.betterplace.com/hawaii

New members will receive a welcome kit with a membership card, giving them access to all Better Place Charge Spots across the state, and a guide to using the network.

Membership includes free network access for 2012. Beginning Jan. 1, 2013, drivers will have the option to sign up for a Better Place membership plan.

“Our vision is a world no longer dependent on oil, so for a limited time we are offering free membership to early electric car champions who can both help enhance the network with feedback from their own experiences and encourage more people to switch to electric driving in the country’s most oil-dependent state,” Goldstein said.

The Better Place network offers the public convenient locations to charge electric cars that are compliant with the current standard for plug-in vehicles in North America – such as the Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, and Mitsubishi i and other vehicles in the future – as a supplement to a primary charging location at home or work. The network is intended to support charging for periods of up to four hours, rather than overnight or long-term charging.

Over the past year and a half, Better Place has been working with businesses and property owners to install charging infrastructure across the state, as well as completing a project that included Chevy Volts, with funding in part from the state Energy Office at the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) and the U.S. Department of Energy.

“Chevy Volt customers have the freedom to drive their electric vehicles wherever and whenever they want,” said Britta Gross, General Motors Director, Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure Commercialization. “We applaud Better Place’s initiative to open its charging network to new Volt customers in Hawaii, who will benefit from the ability to drive on pure electricity more often.”

In April 2011, Better Place installed its first Charge Spots in Hawaii in the parking structure of the Sheraton Waikiki/The Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Today, there are also Better Place Charge Spots at five Starwood hotels and resorts on Oahu, Maui and Kauai.

“As the first Hawaii hotel to install charge stations, we are pleased to expand our partnership with Better Place to offer our guests – both visitors and kamaaina – convenient locations to recharge their electric cars, while helping our Islands become more environmentally sustainable,” said Keith Vieira, senior vice president and director of operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii and French Polynesia.

Last year Enterprise Rent-A-Car began adding electric cars to its fleet on Oahu, enabled by Better Place Charge Spots at the Enterprise site next to the Honolulu International Airport.

“Since we installed our first charging station and began renting electric vehicles last year, the demand from both visitors and kamaaina has continued to increase,” said Paul Kopel, vice president and general manager of operations for Enterprise Rent-A-Car Hawaii. “More people are discovering the convenience of electric cars, and the addition of Better Place’s charge stations at our locations on Maui, the Big Island and Oahu will help meet the needs of EV renters.”

In March, Better Place will host a series of public events around Hawaii to increase awareness of electric cars and the Better Place charging network. We invite current electric car owners and those interested in learning more about electric cars to join Better Place and its partners for charging demonstrations.

“Drive Electric Days” will be held as follows:

* Drive Electric Maui — 3-5 p.m. March 9 at Kihei Town Center (Foodland Kihei)
* Drive Electric Big Island — 11 a.m-2 p.m. March 17 at Kona Commons Shopping Center
* First Hawaiian International Auto Show — March 30 and April 1 in Honolulu

Better Place is the leading global provider of electric car networks that enable the mass market adoption of electric cars through an innovative battery switch model that makes driving electric cars more affordable, convenient and sustainable than today’s gasoline-powered cars.

Better Place owns and operates a network of battery switch stations and public/personal Charge Spots, along with the supply of batteries that power the cars, to provide drivers with instant range extension and the convenience to drive, switch and go across an entire region. Where possible, Better Place uses renewable sources of energy to deliver fully zero-emissions driving.

The World Economic Forum has named Better Place a “Global Growth Company Industry Shaper” for its innovative approach in advancing the global switch to electric cars.

Better Place Charging Network in Hawaii

* Largest electric car charging network in Hawaii, with more than 130 charge points on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.

* Each Better Place Charge Spot has two charge points, enabling two cars to charge simultaneously.

* Locations include hotels and resorts, shopping centers and businesses, parking garages, rental car locations, Aloha Stadium, and the University of Hawaii.

* The Better Place network in Hawaii has more public charge points per capita than are available in any other state (Source: U.S. Department of Energy).

* For 2012, charging via the Better Place network in Hawaii is free.

* Better Place Charge Spots are standard, Level 2 chargers that support electric cars compliant with the standard (known as SAE J1772) for plug-in vehicles in North America,such as the Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, and Mitsubishi i.

* Hawaii is the most oil-dependent state in the U.S., with imported oil supplying 90 percent of the state’s energy (Source: Hawaii State Energy Office).

* Hawaii spends upwards of $7 billion per year outside the state to meet its energy needs and more than 60 percet of Hawaii’s energy is used for transportation (Source: Hawaii CleanEnergy Initiative).

* Hawaii currently has the nation’s highest average gasoline price, $4.315 per gallon of regular unleaded (Source: AAA fuel gauge report, as of Feb. 27, 2012).

* The insensitivity of oil supply and demand to price is growing (Source: International Energy Agency).

* The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative aims to reduce Hawaii’s dependence on imported fossil fuels by at least 70 percent by 2030.

— Find out more:
www.betterplace.com

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

 

Quantcast