Travel services provider JTB Hawaii will replace three of its 17 diesel-fueled buses with Proterra Catalyst E2 electric buses. The company will also purchase two 60 kW plug-in chargers from Proterra.

Hawaii was the first state to adopt 100 percent renewable energy portfolio standard and has the second-highest number of consumer hybrids or EVs per capita in the United States. JTB Hawaii subsidiary Travel Plaza Transportation (TPT) plans to use the buses to transport passengers between Waikiki and downtown Honolulu. Through the initial purchase, the company will evaluate the cost and benefits of transitioning to all-electric buses.

“Environmental sustainability is very important for Hawaii’s tourism industry, and we expect battery-electric buses to be a draw for visitors, who are increasingly focused on the environment,” said TPT President Yujiro Kuwabara. “Proterra Catalyst buses represent our first step in transitioning to 100 percent zero-emission commercial tour buses.”

Source: Proterra