September 15 2011
• Newly-installed electric vehicle charging stations at the Marriott Waikiki help address growing demand for sustainable tourism
• Upcoming installations planned for Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk and OHANA Waikiki East in Honolulu, Wailea Beach Marriott on Maui
• Solutions tailored for commercial, residential, recreational and transportation parking locations
HONOLULU, Hawaii, September 15, 2011 – AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) today announced that it has installed electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the Marriott Waikiki to serve hotel guests and respond to increased demand for sustainable practices in the tourism and hospitality industries. The new chargers are part of Hawaii's growing charging infrastructure currently being deployed to support the electric vehicles of today and tomorrow. In March of this year AeroVironment was selected to help lead the way to a cleaner transportation future through an $820,000 contract from the Hawaii EV Ready Grants Program.
According to a recent study by TripAdvisor®, eco-friendliness is an important consideration for travelers and the U.S. hospitality industry in 2011. In the travel website's annual survey of more than 1,000 U.S. hoteliers, B&B owners and innkeepers, 70% plan to reduce their impact on the environment this year. Another recent Trip Advisor poll found that 47% of travelers now take eco-friendly factors into account when making travel plans. Eco-friendly vacations now include the availability of electric rental cars.
"Marriott is excited about the advancements in green travel options and we want to support our guests who are making electric vehicle choices," said Rob Bahl, Marriott's vice president of engineering and facilities for the Americas. "Adding EV charging stations is just one of Marriott's initiatives supporting our 'Spirit To Preserve' environmental efforts."
AeroVironment also announced plans to install additional charging stations at Outrigger's OHANA Waikiki East and Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk. The charging infrastructure initiative helps to comply with a new state law requiring that a portion of all publicly available parking lots of a certain size become EV-ready. The deadline for EV readiness is midnight, December 31, 2011.
"AeroVironment has a rich history with the state of Hawaii, and together we have been trailblazers in the EV space," said Kristen Helsel, vice president of EV Solutions at AeroVironment. "Our work with partners such as Marriott and Outrigger, both leaders in the sustainability movement, demonstrates our commitment to helping Hawaii build the foundation for a cleaner transportation future. With products and services that satisfy all EV charging needs we look forward to working with the state, businesses and individuals to expand that foundation throughout Hawaii."
Any business, office, recreation location, residence or transportation hub with parking is a candidate for EV charging systems. As a leader in EV charging, AeroVironment offers comprehensive solutions for the entire spectrum of parking locations – including government/public lots, workplaces, airports, condominiums, commercial developments, shopping malls, auto dealers, restaurants, parks, and other retail locations. Incentives and special programs may include up to 30 percent in Hawaii EV Ready Rebates, and up to 30 percent in federal income tax credits to offset the cost of buying and installing commercial charging systems, free site layout consultations, support from AeroVironment-certified EV experts, EV charger education and training for maintenance staff and management.
AeroVironment provides electric vehicle charging stations and installation services for Nissan® North America's Nissan LEAF™, BMW's ActiveE, NRG Energy's eVgo network, and for the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Washington Department of Transportation as part of the "Green Highway" initiative.
AeroVironment began working in Hawaii more than a decade ago, first deploying fast charging stations for passenger EVs in the early 2000s and then establishing world altitude records with its solar-electric, unmanned aircraft systems at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands on Kauai.
To learn more about AeroVironment and for more information on installing a commercial charging station visit evsolutions.avinc.com.
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About AeroVironment, Inc.
AeroVironment is a technology solutions provider that designs, develops, produces and supports an advanced portfolio of electric transportation solutions and electric-powered Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). AeroVironment's comprehensive EV charging solutions include EV home charging, public charging, fast charging, data collection, grid-integrated communications and complete installation, training and support services for consumers, automakers, utilities, government agencies and businesses. AeroVironment's industrial electric vehicle charging systems support thousands of electric materials handling vehicles in mission-critical supply chains for Fortune 500 enterprises. AeroVironment's power cycling and test systems provide EV developers and EV battery manufacturers with market-leading simulation and cycling capabilities. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company's electric-powered, hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance and communication. More information is available at www.avinc.com and www.evsolutions.com.
About Marriott
Building on more than 20 years of energy conservation experience, Marriott is committed to protecting the environment. The company's Spirit To Preserve® environmental strategy calls for: greening our multi-billion dollar supply chain; further reducing energy and water consumption by 25 percent per available room by 2017; expanding our portfolio of green hotels and buildings and green hotel development tenfold over the next four years; educating and inspiring employees and guests to support the environment; and investing in innovative, large-scale conservation projects worldwide.
For more information about our sustainability efforts visit http://www.marriott.com/environment
