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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0521.002 2010-2012 Plcam= testimony in support of Comm. 521 (Bill 164) for electric vehicles (EVs) for Research and Development Dept. for County Committee on Finance, 9:30 AM Thursday, January 19, 2012, Hilo County Building by Cory Harden, Box 1 0265, Hilo. Hawai'i 96721 808-968-8965 mh©interpac.net Thank you to Brenda Ford for introducing this bill. The cartoon is from the Electric Auto Association. I wonder if the EV Ready program would help with funding. The "State EV Ready Fact Sheet" http://energy.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/EVReadyFactSheet Dec2011 .pdf says the program is offering rebates for purchases of EVs and charging systems till the end of this month. • or till funding is exhausted. The fund still had about half a million dollars two months ago. Last year EV Ready gave grants to Honolulu and Kauai Counties to buy EVs and charging systems. I wonder if the County could also use the low Time of Use Pilot Rates, which Hawaiian Electric Company will offer to 300 customers in Hawai'i County. Why are EVs a good thing? Because all but 5% of Hawai'i's energy comes from imported fossil fuel--the worst percentage in the country. When fuel prices rise, Hawai'i's economy suffers. About one-third of liquid fuel goes for ground transportation So, for almost two decades, part of Hawai'i's strategy to cut oil use has been EVs with charging networks that use renewable energy. EVs also cut pollution--their tailpipe emissions are zero, and they can use clean energy sources. The Electric Auto Association says an EV costs about $4,700 less than a gas vehicle, over 10 years with minimum insurance. They should cost less in the future as fuel prices rise and EV purchase prices fall. EVs also save time and troubie--you never need to get gas, change oil, or do a tune-up. Some worry because EVs can only go 80 to 250 miles between charges. But for many commuters. this is plenty. And in the future, there should be chargers in parking lots, and stations where you can swap your old battery for a new one. There's a lot of EV action in Hawaii. • There were over 550 registered passenger EVS and over 10,500 registered passenger hybrids as of two months ago. The state target for 2030 is over 200,000 EVs. • There should be about 120 charging sites statewide in three months. Locations are shown at electricvehicle.hawaii.gov Many businesses are installing chargers and some let the public use them. • O'ahu has 80 hybrid buses and made charging permits available online. • Enterprise Rent-a-Car plans to have 30 EVs. • There's an agreement between the state and a Korean EV manufacturer for a Hawai'i assembly and sales facility. • Maui is planning a smart grid renewable energy demonstration project to prepare for widespread EV use. Please support this bill. Mahalo. 5 r- (7.) o� T/ _ Comm. o S . 2. W y Ref. To:r/c2M01 0. Ref. Date FP 0 1 2012