More on Hawaii: Phoenix Motorcars to supply vehicles

I've been following the http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-hybrid-news/56261-hawaii-1st-state-electric-car-stations.html thread and read the various links referenced there.

The first press release from December 3rd referenced talks about A Better Place and having Nissan provide the vehicles. From the press release:

But while surfing around today, I peeked in to see what's going on with Phoenix Motorcars. Lo and behold I came across this other press release from December 9th

GOVERNOR LINGLE, MAYOR TAVARES AND PHOENIX MOTORCARS ANNOUNCE INTENT TO BRING ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO MAUI BY 2009 — Office of the Governor

And the Phoenix press release

Someone posted a link to a video showing the Nissan car, but take a look at this clip from Maui news:
Maui Going Electric | KHON2.com - News, Sports, Weather | KHON News
That's a Phoenix!

The Phoenix Motorcars site has the entire press release video, and in the video, Dan Elliott, CEO of Phoenix Motorcars, states that 20-30 cars will be delivered in Q1 to (I think it was) the Maui Electric company (I may have the name wrong, but it is the utility company in Maui). The 'Maui going Electric' link above also provide a synopsis of the Dec. 9 press release, which by the way, mentions that Phoenix Motorcars is also collaborating with the Korean Trade Investment Promotion Agency to identify additional technology partners for these Hawai‘i-based programs.

I've been peeking in at Phoenix Motorcars for a couple of years now, and I'm excited to see them finally producing something tangible. Like with the Aptera, the waiting is driving me nuts. But I don't really understand what the relationship is with A Better Place. Can someone enlighten me?

On a final note, at a price of around $50,000, it would be neat to see that price come down. And if one of the Big 3 is doomed, have Phoenix get in there and set up shop. Hopefully mass producing would achieve a price break in quantity.

 

Here's another blurb:
KHNL NBC 8 Honolulu Hawaii |Lingle's plan on electric vehicle takes new turn

 

The videotape of the press release speaks to why only to fleets initially. The reason given is because it gives them a better opportunity to study the vehicles in real-life use and the impact they have (I believe) on the grid before they pull the plug and sell them to many individual owners where they won't be able to track and study them as well.

You know, with all this chatter about the Volt and the other major manufacturers making PHEV's... and even with Tesla having released the Sportster, it's kind of amazing that Phoenix is remaining under the radar. I wonder why.

 

It looks like they have found a credible partner and someone committed to action in Governor Lingle, unlike the current governor we have in California, who I'm afraid talks a better talk than he walks.

Seems to me that Governor Lingle is a lot more credible when it comes to energy security and investing in the future than other governors that have been in the spotlight recently. Her commitment to green and renewable energy sources is laudable.