HONOLULU—AeroVironment announced that it has installed electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the Marriott Waikiki to serve hotel guests and respond to increased demand for sustainable practices in the tourism and hospitality industries. The new chargers are part of Hawaii’s growing charging infrastructure. In March of this year AeroVironment was selected to help lead the way to a cleaner transportation future through an $820,000 contract from the Hawaii EV Ready Grants Program.
According to a recent study by TripAdvisor, eco-friendliness is an important consideration for travelers and the U.S. hospitality industry. In the travel website’s annual survey of more than 1,000 U.S. hoteliers, B&B owners and innkeepers, 70 percent plan to reduce their impact on the environment this year. Another recent Trip Advisor poll found that 47 percent of travelers now take eco-friendly factors into account when making travel plans. Eco-friendly vacations now include the availability of electric rental cars.
“Marriott is excited about the advancements in green travel options and we want to support our guests who are making electric vehicle choices,” said Rob Bahl, Marriott’s vice president of engineering and facilities for the Americas. “Adding EV charging stations is just one of Marriott’s initiatives supporting our ‘Spirit To Preserve’ environmental efforts.”
Deadline for EV Readiness Coming Soon
AeroVironment also announced plans to install additional charging stations at Outrigger’s OHANA Waikiki East, Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk and Wailea Beach Marriott on Maui. The charging infrastructure initiative helps to comply with a new state law requiring that a portion of all publicly available parking lots of a certain size become EV-ready. The deadline for EV readiness is midnight, December 31, 2011.
“AeroVironment has a rich history with the state of Hawaii, and together we have been trailblazers in the EV space,” said Kristen Helsel, vice president of EV Solutions at AeroVironment. “Our work with partners such as Marriott and Outrigger, both leaders in the sustainability movement, demonstrates our commitment to helping Hawaii build the foundation for a cleaner transportation future. With products and services that satisfy all EV charging needs we look forward to working with the state, businesses and individuals to expand that foundation throughout Hawaii.”
Any business, office, recreation location, residence or transportation hub with parking is a candidate for EV charging systems. In Hawaii, incentives and special programs may include up to 30 percent in Hawaii EV Ready Rebates, and up to 30 percent in federal income tax credits to offset the cost of buying and installing commercial charging systems, free site layout consultations, support from AeroVironment-certified EV experts, and EV charger education and training for maintenance staff and management.
Click here for more details.
