State of Hawaii and Nissan Form EV Partnership

2011 Nissan Leaf All-Electric EV

Nissan North America and the state of Hawaii formed a partnership to promote the development of electric vehicles, and an electric-vehicle charging network, throughout the state. The partnership, which was announced at the Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo in Honolulu, marks Nissan’s first definitive agreement in the United States, the company said. The Nissan LEAF EV will be available in Hawaii beginning in January 2011.

Hawaii is providing a $4,500 state tax credit towards the purchase of an electric vehicle and a $500 state tax credit towards the purchase and installation of a home charging station. The state tax credit, paired with an available $7,500 federal tax credit, could bring the price of a Nissan LEAF, which carries a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $32,780, to as low as $20,780 for Hawaii consumers.

As part of the agreement, Nissan and the State of Hawaii will develop plans to promote a charging infrastructure for EVs, as well as the deployment, operation and maintenance of a charging network. The partners also will work to coordinate the establishment of policies and help streamline the deployment of an EV infrastructure. Nissan is committing to bringing a supply of Nissan LEAF electric vehicles to Hawaii and readying the dealer body to sell and lease them to consumers.

This partnership personifies Hawaii’s commitment to a future powered by clean, sustainable sources of energy. In order to change the energy consumption patterns of our population, we have to offer drivers alternatives to vehicles that rely on imported fossil fuels. More than 90 percent of the fuel and energy we consume in Hawaii is the product of imported oil. Given our unique access to clean, renewable, energy sources, Hawaii should serve as a model of what is possible when government and business collaborate to plan a path forward into an energy efficient future.

—US Senator Daniel K. Inouye

Nationwide, more than 18,600 consumers have reserved a Nissan LEAF. Nissan is continuing to take reservations through its website, www.nissanusa.com. Interested consumers are encouraged to place a reservation, which entails a $99 fully refundable fee to secure a spot on the list to place an order. Consumers who already have reserved the Nissan LEAF online will be invited to place orders through their dealer for the vehicle in advance of market roll-out timing, allowing time for consumers to select a dealer and assess home charging needs.