By Erin Miller
By Erin Miller
Stephens Media
Shiny, black and quiet-running, Hawaii County’s five electric hybrid fleet vehicles will hit West Hawaii roads this week.
County officials celebrated the arrival of the Chevrolet Volts during a blessing ceremony Wednesday morning at the West Hawaii Civic Center.
“We want everybody to use it,” Mayor Billy Kenoi said as he described which departments will have access to the cars. “We want to test it. We’ll log it, where you drive, how it drives. Hopefully we can grow the electric fleet and have it be the county fleet.”
The vehicles cost about $47,000 apiece, with about $2,500 of the price covering an extended warranty. The Research and Development Department provided $41,000 for the cars, with the Mass Transit Agency picking up the remaining approximately $200,000 tab.
Cars will be assigned to the Office of Housing and Community Development, Parks and Recreation and Planning Departments, Deputy Managing Director Wally Lau said.
“Those are the ones who said they could use it every day,” he added.
The two remaining vehicles will be available for anyone in any department to request and use.
Kenoi has previously said he wanted the county to lead by example in purchasing and using the hybrid vehicles, which can be charged at the West Hawaii Civic Center at no additional cost to the county. The power stations will be charged by the photovoltaic system installed on the county’s parking garage. The Volts are rated to go up to about 90 miles per gallon, and can drive mostly on battery power for trips of less than 30 miles. The cars take about 3.5 hours to fully charge.
“It couldn’t come at a better time, when we look at rising fuel prices,” Kenoi said Tuesday.
Kumu Keala Ching performed the blessing, first chanting in Hawaiian, then sprinkling water over each car, and the power stations.
North Kona Councilman Angel Pilago drew parallels between Ching’s blessing — which included appreciation for “the life source” and “reaffirmation of the human spirit” and the use of electric vehicles.
“It doesn’t end,” Pilago said. “Just as one time we were powered by the wind and human spirit and energy, today we are powered by the sun, water and human spirit and energy.”
Email Erin Miller at emiller@westhawaiitoday.com.