Tritium becomes sole supplier in Hawaii’s first NEVI charger rollout
The State of Hawai’i has selected Tritium to supply all fast chargers in its first National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding round. The company believes Tritium is now the first manufacturer to secure an order through the NEVI program.
Part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, NEVI will provide $5 billion over five years to support the development of EV chargers across US highways, including almost 1,000 miles of roadway in Hawai’i.
To unlock the funding, all 50 states of America, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico had to submit EV infrastructure deployment plans, a process they completed last August. A month later, in September 2022, the Federal Highway Administration approved Hawai’i’s proposal, granting the state access to $2.6 million of NEVI funding in FY2022.
Hawai’i Department of Transportation (HDOT) now chose the partners and will have them install charging facilities along the Alternative Fuel Corridors designated by NEVI.
HDOT is using the initial round of funding – the amount was not disclosed – to procure eight Tritium NEVI systems, comprising 32 fast chargers delivering 150 kW and 16 power units. The order for HDOT was placed by the National Car Charging subsidiary Aloha Charge, and the sites will be equipped with software developed by EV Connect.
Tritium launched the sales of its NEVI-compliant charging columns this Spring. Each system comprises four charge columns providing up to 150 kW of power each, using CCS 1 as a standard. The latter is stipulated by NEVI as is the requirement for most of the parts being made in America. The Australian company opened its first US facility in Tennessee last August.
“Hawai’i is committed to leading the nation in our e-mobility transition and grateful for Tritium’s partnership in this effort,” said Hawai’i Department of Transportation Director Edwin Sniffen. “We’re confident that Tritium’s chargers will provide the fast and reliable service Hawai’i needs as we bolster our EV infrastructure statewide.”
“The State of Hawai’i has long been dependent on petroleum for their energy supply, but with this new influx of DC fast-charging infrastructure, we are paving the way for a significant shift in their energy mix and a substantial leap towards greater energy independence,” said Mike Calise, Tritium’s President of the Americas.
Tritium CEO Jane Hunter added, “We’re not surprised to see the state act so quickly to ensure their community benefits from the emissions reductions that a rapid technology transition to electric vehicles secures. The NEVI funding is designed to ensure this transition occurs quickly and equitably, and Tritium is pleased to partner with the state and its representatives to bolster Hawai’i’s EV charging infrastructure.”
Hawai’i is trying to get off fossil fuels in transportation through various initiatives. Independent from NEVI, the state ran a subsidy scheme for EV charging stations on behalf of the Hawai’i Public Utilities Commission and through the utility Hawai’i Energy started in 2020. Another law, published in 2021, requires the entire government fleet to be converted to electric vehicles. Passenger cars must be electric by 2030 and light commercial vehicles by 2035.
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