Brisbane-founded Tritium will provide all fast chargers for the State of Hawai’i’s first round of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program funding.
To commemorate the milestone, Tritium executives along with project partners Sustainability Partners and National Car Charging joined officials from the White House, Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, and Hawai’i Department of Transportation (HDOT) for a virtual discussion about the future of e-mobility nationwide and how partnerships like theirs are paving the way for a more sustainable future.
“Hawai’i is recognised nationwide and around the world for its commitment to sustainability and has long been at the forefront of the e-mobility transition,” says Tritium chief executive Jane Hunter, adding the NEVI funding is designed to ensure the EV transition occurs quickly and equitably.
In September 2022, the Federal Highway Administration approved Hawai’i’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan, granting the state access to US$2.6 million of NEVI funding in FY2022.
As part of their NEVI deployment plan, HDOT is utilising its existing contract with Sustainability Partners, a public benefit company mandated to form reliable and enduring partnerships with public institutions for the advancement of their critical infrastructure.
HDOT is using the initial round of NEVI funding to procure eight Tritium NEVI systems, totalling 32 PKM150 (150kW) chargers and 16 power units.
The chargers were procured for HDOT by Sustainability Partners from Aloha Charge, a National Car Charging company, and will be equipped with software developed by EV Connect, an EV charging management solutions provider.
Established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, NEVI will provide US$5 billion over five years to support the development of EV charging infrastructure across the nation’s highways, including almost 1610km of roadway in Hawai’i.
It’s estimated that the state will receive a total US$17.6 million in funding throughout the duration of the NEVI Formula Program.
“Hawai’i is committed to leading the nation in our e-mobility transition and grateful for Tritium’s partnership in this effort,” says 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.”
In March, Tritium announced its NEVI-compliant charging system is available for purchase.
Each charger on the company’s system provides 150kW of power to an EV through a modular fast-charging system. Thanks to multiple chargers and power rectifier units, the Tritium NEVI solution provides backup charger availability for high reliability and site uptime.
“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,” says Tritium’s Americas president Mike Calise.
“NEVI has created an unprecedented opportunity for states across America to revolutionise their EV charging infrastructure.”
During the initial NEVI program phase, HDOT will install charging facilities along the designated Alternative Fuel Corridors.
