The islands have become an ideal launching pad for electric vehicle manufacturers where shorter driving distances counters “range anxiety.”

Tesla’s latest EV is half the price of its Tesla Roadster and travels further on a charge, according to a Blue Planet Foundation press release: 

The first of a new breed of electric vehicles, the Model S eliminates what were once perceived as undesirable tradeoffs of owning an EV—concerns such as limited travel range, limited seating, and limited “sexiness.” The Model S can travel 300 miles per charge, eliminating range anxiety for consumers. It is also half the price of the company’s first electric model, the Tesla Roadster.

Tesla Model S specs include:

·      Accelerates from zero to 60 mph in as little as 4.4 seconds

·      Top speed as high as 130 mph

·      Seats up to 7 (5 adults and 2 children)

·      Four designs: Model S, Model S Performance, Model S Signature, Model S Signature Performance

·      Battery options: 40 kWh, 60 kWh, and 85 kWh / Battery warranty begins at 8 years, 100,000 miles

·      Up to 265 miles per charge

·      17” touchscreen, WiFi-enabled control center

·      Starts at $49,900 (after federal tax incentives up to $7,500)

Tesla’s first run of the Model S included 3,000 vehicles. They plan to manufacture 20,000 for 2013. Reservations can be made online at www.teslamotors.com/own.

Given the same amount of fuel for power, the Model S travels four times farther than a gas-powered car. The adoption of electric vehicles helps reduce Hawai‘i’s dependence on imported oil. EVs can run on renewable power and also serve as valuable battery storage that can strengthen grid reliability and enable greater interconnection of renewable energy.

Currently, Hawai‘i commuters drive a total of 29 million miles a day, enough to make 60 roundtrip journeys to the moon. Every day, the gas our cars burn costs $5.4 million ($63/second) and is responsible for 13,500 tons of CO2 pollution. The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative calls for the reduction of petroleum in ground transportation by 385 million gallons a year by 2030. In October, Hawai‘i is expected to reach a milestone of 1,000 registered EVs.

(Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors)