Hawaii has launched battery electric buses at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, the Hawaii Department of Transportation reports. Four electric buses are now transporting passengers between the airport and the Consolidated Rental Car Facility (CONRAC). They are the first of a planned 20-bus fleet that will replace the current diesel shuttles by 2030.
The State of Hawaii says the electric bus initiative is part of the state’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A 2018 three-month pilot study estimated that each electric bus could save about $47,000 annually in fuel costs compared with diesel buses. Governor Josh Green highlighted the importance of sustainable transportation given Hawaii’s vulnerability to climate change.
Transportation Director Ed Sniffen said that with roughly 22 million passengers passing through Daniel K. Inouye International Airport each year, the four new buses aim to provide a cleaner and more comfortable trip to the rental car facility. Funded by Customer Facility Charges from rental car transactions, the four electric buses cost $4.3 million. These charges are used for the construction, maintenance, and operation of CONRAC facilities at state airports, avoiding the use of taxpayer funds…