Pushing toward energy goals with eMobility
Hawaii is moving toward 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, and Hawaiian Electric is excited to help usher in the state’s clean energy future. Although 2045 is more than two decades away, it’s getting easier for me to picture that reality as so many of our teams are working to achieve that goal. One in particular is our Electrification of Transportation team — AKA eMobility team (eMob for short) — which works to enable greater-adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).
Imagine a world in which cars and buses are powered by the sun and wind. How cool would that be? In August 2020, Hawaiian Electric pledged that 100 percent of its passenger vehicle fleet will be electric by 2035. This means that all our company’s sedans, SUVs, small vans and light trucks will run on electricity. Currently, we are leading the state in electric fleets with EVs making up 20 percent of our passenger fleet. Converting to a fully electric fleet will increase efficiency and save costs over time, aligning with the state’s renewable energy goals.
In July 2020, we proposed the eBus (electric bus) Make-Ready Infrastructure Pilot Project to help speed up the process for companies to incorporate electric buses in their fleets. The pilot would allow Hawaiian Electric to install, own and manage electric equipment and wiring for eBus chargers. The chargers themselves would be installed, owned and maintained by the bus fleet operator. Our company recognizes the importance of putting infrastructure in place to encourage eMobility.
In addition to other benefits, Hawaiian Electric Director of Electrification of Transportation Aki Marceau says electrifying transportation will “help reduce greenhouse gas emissions for ground transportation, which contributes to over 50 percent of emissions statewide.” To learn more about the Make-Ready Infrastructure Pilot Project and benefits such as providing a cleaner, quieter ride for passengers and those living along bus routes, check out our news release on the proposal and the video below.
In the spirit of Drive Electric Week (Sept. 26 — Oct. 6), I encourage you to take the time to learn more about what we’re doing to electrify Hawaii. You can follow Hawaiian Electric’s journey by visiting our website and taking a look at the EoT strategic roadmap. The eMob team also has a three-part webinar series where members talk about different aspects of their initiatives. The first two webinars can be found using the links below. The third is scheduled for Oct. 21.
Drive Electric Dialogue 1: Electric Bus Make Ready Infrastructure
Drive Electric Dialogue 2: Charging Initiatives and the Critical Backbone Tool
As for me, I’ll continue to learn more about EVs until I’m ready to purchase one for myself — and until then I’ll use the Biki whenever I can!
Michael Choe is a digital communications and social media specialist at Hawaiian Electric.
