Aloha

[rickmaz]

Hi everyone,

I have a deposit down on an "i" and it will supposedly be here in Hawaii in December. I plan on mainly charging it with 8 245W solar panels, but am also grid-tied, so HELCO offers a 50% off rate on off-peak charging from 9PM to 7AM.

I'm getting the SE with Premium Package and Quick Charge port, in case Quick chargers ever materialize here in Hilo on the "Big Island" of Hawaii.

I plan to install an Eaton 220V Level II Charger in my carport, but have been having some difficulty with Geek Squad since I live outside their area. Hopefully they will sell the hardware to me, and let me hire an electrician to get the county permits, and set it up,

We're lucky in Hawaii to have a $4500 cash rebate program that has been extended until January, so hopefully I'll get it! Combined with the federal tax credits, the car eventually will only cost me about $16000.

I'm really looking forward to driving electric! My normal drive everyday is only about 25 miles, although I live 1400' elevation above Hilo town.

Keep the shiny side up!

--Rick

 

[marta]

Hi Rick, that's great! I'm really looking forward to when the Mitsubishi I is available on the mainland - I am near the Seattle area.

Question for you, did Mitsubishi say the i would be available in December after you paid the deposit? Or are you just going off of info in the press?

 

[EnviroFusion]

Aloha Rick,

I'm on Kauai and have been asking you questions via Face Book regarding the 'i'.

How did you get HELCO to offer you 50% off-peak charge? I think that's really great.What is the normal KWC? I'm hoping that KIUC will offer something like that, but I doubt it because we are a 'Coop' here on Kaua'i. I believe our KWC is: somewhere .24 - .34 cents, which I think is still pretty high for a 'Coop'.

Still have not heard from the contact you had given me in Oahu at Cutter Mitsubishi. Seems no likes to return calls or they don't have any information about the 'i'. I think that so far I've learned more from you.

Like you my daily commute would be less than 30 miles/day. And also considered charging via Solar. I'm curious to know more info from Geek Squad and how they are going to deal with outside islanders, if they are the ONLY ones that Mitsubishi is contracted with. We might have to get independant contractors involved?

The only reason why I would actually consider the SE package is the Alloy wheels, brown interior and quick charge. I really don't need all the bells and whistles like navigation, 8 speakers. Unless the ES package can get the Alloy wheels, brown interior & quick charge. Navigation is not necessary on Kaua'i in my opinion, I can see that it would be handy in O'ahu.

So basically Hilo like Kaua'i has no charging stations right? We would basically have to charge at home until such infrastructures are build around our city/town.

What is the pricing on the Eaton 220V Level II Charger? What would be the factor that Geek Squad/Best Buy would not sell either you or myself the charger other than the fact that we live outside their service area? I think that if we comply with county permits and licensed electricians that should suffice.

I was really happy to know that the rebate program was extended. You only mentioned the $4500 was that the Federal rebate? Isn't there the state one as well? I'm looking forward to the $16000 EV ride and eliminating the cost of fuel purchase for commute.

Ahui hou,
EnviroFusion

 

[rickmaz]

->marta: The news says that the "i" will be available in Hawaii in January, but Cutter Mitsubishi here in Hawaii says they'll actually be here in December. They're also getting their demo "i" car for the dealership in November.

->EnviroFusion: There's a $7500 federal tax credit, and i think a $2000 tax credit for the charger. In Hawaii they extended until the end of January a $4500 cash rebate for the car, and a $500 cash rebate for the charger. According the the Leaf forum, EV purchasers are actually receiving the state rebate checks, so that's good news!

SE TRIM
$29,990 MSRP + some amount for the premium package, probably a few thousand. minus $12500 in rebates/tax credits = approx $18000, will probably be a little more with shipping to Big Island etc.

I haven't been quoted a price for the Eaton charger yet, although I finally received an email from the manager of Best Buy Honolulu. From other websites ... I think it'll be about $700 + installation. There are a couple thousand dollars of tax credits/rebates on the charger installation as well. This compares favorably with the Blink and Leviton charger's price.

There are no quick chargers on the Big Island yet, although I have emailed a Leaf owner who is trying to start a charging co-op, where we can drop in each other's car ports and use each other's chargers. The state website says that there are four charging units planned for the Big Island...not sure if they'll materialize anytime soon.

I went down to talk to the EV rep at HELCO myself (the Big Island has it's own electric company with different policies than HECO on Oahu...not sure what you have in Kauai). HELCO has a 3 year pilot program for up to 300 EV customers where you can either get a separate charger for the car and even greater rate reductions, or keep your one meter and get 50% off (18 cents/kwH). 9pm - 7am charging. They think the pilot program will then be extended indefinitely if successful. You'll probably have to talk with a customer service rep with your utility on Kauai to find out what's happening there...if you're on HECO, you can go to their website to sign up for their program online. Here on the Big Island, I have to sign a contract, and present an EV car registration, and a signed-off copy of the charger building permit to start getting my rate reductions.

Also, according to the state website, if you get EV plates for the car, you can get free parking at any county/state parking facility. The Leaf forum guys are having to jump through hoops to get their free parking at UH and other places, but they are slowly educating everyone about the state regulations.

Aloha!
Rick

 

[EnviroFusion]

Rick,

Thank you so much for all the information that you have posted here on this forum regarding your purchase process of the 'i'. I have found that this site has been much more informative than 'Cutter' in Oahu.

I emailed that contact person you posted in Face Book. So far no response. I previously chatted with another sales person and they had NO clue on any 'i' info on arrival, charging, test drive or anything of that sort. Glad to hear that you got info on a demo being here in November.

Starting a co-op on the Big Island will definitely be a big plus for folks like yourself and the 'Leaf' owner. I think its a great idea and a step forward to cleaner sustainable energy exposure to start. Let me know how that goes, I'd love to see if one has started here on Kauai or maybe one needs to get it started as well. Which website are you talking about that says the Big Island has charging units planned? Is that something that is being done by the county, state or private sector?

Kauai might be a toughy with it being a Co-op member owned electric company. Will have to see, it might just be a kill before the conversation even gets started. Everything is political.

If you can share your experience with your reservation of the 'i'. Did you sign up via the website & put your deposit or did you call in? I'm curious to know. I'm hesitant about the deposit because I'm not getting any MORE or new information from that site neither locally here at the Mitsubishi dealership.

Mahalo,
EnviroFusion

 

[rickmaz]

=> Envirofusion

yes, I put a PayPal $299 deposit on the i.mitsubishicars.com/ website as soon as I could.

I think you'll have to do that before Cutter will do much for you. I'm not sure how many Hawaii people have put their deposit in, but I don't think I'm the only one.

Mainly I wanted to get the car in time to get the Hawaii tax rebates! Since it makes such a big difference in the affordability!

 

[EnviroFusion]

Thanks Rick. I really appreciate all the input & information you have given here on this forum and on Face Book.

I have yet to put my $299 down. Guess I'm waiting for more information on the 'i' but from what you are saying is that I won't get any info unless that process is done first.

When I briefly and barely chatted with Cutter they did say that there were about 100 'interested' people in Hawaii inquiring about the 'i' and only 50 of them comitted to the down payment.

I like you would definitely take advantage of the Hawaii Rebates for sure, Would be foolish to pass that up.

Mahalo again!

EnviroFusion

 

[evrider]

To rickmaz and anyone else on the Big Island,
Thanks for sharing your progress in the order process. First post here, My name is Tom and I am in Paauilo mauka, about 1700 ft elevation. I have reserved a SE model. Well, I have not heard anything from the geek squad about the garage inspection. There is no Best Buy on the Big Island, so it has been bumped up to a supervisor, Jose to do some kind of work around, but I haven't heard back.

Rick, since you have received an email saying that your order has been put in production, how did you get past the home inspection with Best Buy/ Geek Squad? Also, can you give the EV contact at Helco you talked with in Hilo? Thanks.

-- Trying to get past all the speed bumps... :mrgreen:
Tom

 

[rickmaz]

Hi Tom,

The contact person for EV's at Helco in Hilo is Amanda Lee. 969-0131, [email protected]

She gave me copies of the two types of contracts available on the EV Pilot program. Mainly you must give them a copy of the closed building permit for the charger, and a valid EV state auto registration. In addition to the discount rate there's a $11.50 monthly charge for participating in the pilot program (3 yr program). ($15 if three phase electricity is used for charging - which I doubt anyone will have for residential). A bunch of other stuff that is pretty common sense contract lingo.

The other info I put in our messages.

Aloha!
Rick

 

[jray3]

I'm bumping up this Hawaiian thread since y'all pay the most for electricity and seem to like living on the tops of mountains.

On the Seattle EV list, we've been half-joking about using water ballast to maximize regen on a downhill return trip. Of course, if the hill's steep enough, the speed limit too low, or the turns too tight, ballast might only serve to make for a white-knuckled trip with hot brakes, but just maybe.......

Especially if the ballast came from a "mountaintop" rain barrel, it could be the cheapest hydroelectricity of all time!

---snip---
To test your jest with the manufacturer's recommended weight limits, the i-Miev with only a driver could add a good 500 lbs of ballast, or up to 60 gallons.

Maximizing one's range via a retasked 55 gallon oil drum would be ironic indeed... Get to the bottom of the hill, and open the drain. "Honest officer, that barrel's full of good clean spring water- I'd never dump hazardous waste on the highway!".

-Jay

Disclaimer: Yes, paying to pump water up a hill and then using it to push your car down a hill may not be of overall energy benefit, and overloading one's vehicle poses certain hazards, as could dumping 55 gallons of water on a dry highway...

 

[iMiEV808]

Jray3
Depending on where they live they might not have water service. I had a friend over there that had their own rain water collection system. Where their house was, there was only electricity, no water , no telephone, no sewer service. So,water may be a little scarce to drain out at the bottom of the hill. Maybe fill the car up with rocks instead. At the end of a year, they can build a rock wall near their entrance.

The place was picture perfect. Imagine living on the side of the mountian/volcano and not seing another neighbor from where you live all the way down to the sea/pacific ocean. Maybe a cow or two grazing in the distance.

My question is how long is the drive up to the 1,700 elevation?