Ulupono Initiative Invests $350,000 in OpConnect Hawaii to Boost Hawaii’s EV Charging Infrastructure

Sep 03, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HONOLULU – Ulupono Initiative today announced a strategic investment of $350,000 in Hawaii’s emerging electric vehicle industry through OpConnect Hawaii, which is preparing to install Mark II charging stations throughout the state.

“At Ulupono, we believe that helping consumers feel confident that they can drive where they need to go without range anxiety is critical to widespread adoption of electric vehicles,” said Ulupono Initiative’s Managing Partner Murray Clay. “By investing in support of those who drive EVs, we’re helping achieve our goal of reducing Hawaii’s dependence on imported oil with more efficient technology,” Clay added.

“We are excited to receive the investment and support from the Ulupono Initiative,” said Dexter Turner, OpConnect Hawaii CEO. “This will ensure Hawaii’s EV drivers have a reliable and easy‐to-use station for charging their electric vehicles throughout the islands. Together, we are helping the state of Hawaii realize its green energy goals.”

OpConnect Hawaii operates the largest network of charging stations in Hawaii with 83 charge spots on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island. The OpConnect Network has nearly 1,000 EV drivers in Hawaii registered for its OpConnect network with more signing up each week. In March, the company took over the Hawaii operations of Better Place and plans to replace the Better Place charge spots with OpConnect stations by this fall.

OpConnect’s newly designed Mark II Level 2 public charging station builds on the company’s innovative reputation and features include a 15‐inch display, high‐resolution touch‐screen display and integrated security cameras. 

OpConnect’s EV charging stations are advanced technology smart charging stations that are approved for indoor and outdoor installations. All units include wireless communications and are part of the integrated OpConnect Electric Vehicle Charging System®, which includes a web portal and smart phone application to locate available charging stations, manage accounts and track individual or fleet electricity usage. The OpConnect charging stations are Smart Grid ready to work with utilities to help balance the load on the electric grid.

About Ulupono Initiative

Ulupono Initiative LLC is a for‐profit impact investment firm that strives to improve the quality of life for the people of Hawaii by working toward solutions that create more locally grown food, increase clean renewable energy production and reduce waste. For more information about Ulupono Initiative, please visit www.ulupono.com.

About OpConnect

OpConnect, a subsidiary of ISO9001 certified Optimization Technologies, is a technology leader in electric vehicle charging systems. The OpConnect Electric Vehicle Charging System® is an end‐toend EV charging solution including charging stations, a secure wireless communications network, billing and charging station management solutions and mobile phone applications. For more information about OpConnect, please visit www.opconnect.com and view our OpConnect EVSE Partner Network video.