| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Jaguar Land Rover, which makes the Jaguar brand of luxury automobiles, has announced it will no longer sell gasoline-powered vehicles by 2025. Similarly, General Motors has announced it will no longer sell gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. Every other major automobile manufacturer is planning to phase out gasoline vehicles as quickly as possible because gasoline vehicles are significantly more complicated and expensive to manufacture than electric vehicles. Ford Motor Company has estimated that it currently takes thirty per cent fewer labor hours to assemble an electric vehicle compared to a gasoline-powered vehicle. Additionally, gasoline-powered vehicles can no longer compete with electric vehicles in terms of performance, reliability, safety, or cost. The legislature further finds that, next to public vehicle fleets, rental motor vehicles represent the largest passenger vehicle fleets in Hawaii. Transitioning rental motor vehicle fleets to zero-emission vehicles would significantly reduce carbon emissions. It will also reduce transportation costs for those who rent vehicles and increase the number of zero‑emission vehicles entering the secondary market, making clean electric vehicles more affordable for local residents. However, to be successful, transitioning to electric rental motor vehicles will require appropriate electric charging infrastructure and capacity at airports, hotels, and other destinations. The purpose of this Act is to begin planning the transition to electric rental motor vehicle fleets to achieve the State's zero-emission transportation goals and avoid disruption in the rental car market as vehicle manufacturers cease production of gasoline-powered vehicles. SECTION 2. (a) There is established the rental car modernization task force within the department of transportation for administrative purposes. (b) The task force shall consist of the following members, or their designees: (1) The director of transportation, who shall also serve as chairperson of the task force; (2) The president of the Hawaii tourism authority; (3) The chief energy officer of the Hawaii state energy office; (4) The state sustainability coordinator; (5) One member appointed by the president of the senate; (6) One member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (7) Two members representing the rental car industry, as invited by the chairperson; (8) One local or regional representative of a trade association representing the automobile manufacturing industry, as invited by the chairperson; (9) One member representing the hotel industry, as invited by the chairperson; and (10) One member representing a public electrical utility, as invited by the chairperson. (c) The task force shall develop a plan to determine the feasibility of installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure at a rate and volume to support a one hundred per cent zero-emission rental motor vehicle fleet by 2035. The plan shall include an analysis of how airport parking structures may be able to accommodate charging station infrastructure and the financial requirements to do so. (d) The task force shall submit a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than December 1, 2021, and a final report to be submitted to the legislature no later than December 1, 2022. (e) The rental car modernization task force shall dissolve on May 31, 2023. SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2050. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Jaguar Land Rover, which makes the Jaguar brand of luxury automobiles, has announced it will no longer sell gasoline-powered vehicles by 2025. Similarly, General Motors has announced it will no longer sell gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. Every other major auto manufacturer is planning to phase out gasoline vehicles as quickly as possible because gasoline vehicles are significantly more complicated and expensive to manufacture than electric vehicles. Ford Motor Company has estimated that it currently takes thirty per cent fewer labor hours to assemble an electric vehicle compared to a gasoline-powered vehicle. Additionally, gasoline-powered vehicles can no longer compete with electric vehicles in terms of performance, reliability, safety, or cost. The legislature further finds that, next to public vehicle fleets, rental motor vehicles represent the largest passenger vehicle fleets in Hawaii. Transitioning rental motor vehicle fleets to zero-emission vehicles would significantly reduce carbon emissions. It will also reduce the transportation costs for those who rent vehicles and increase the number of zero‑emission vehicles entering the secondary market, making clean electric vehicles more affordable for local residents. However, transitioning to electric rental motor vehicles will require appropriate electric charging infrastructure and capacity at airports, hotels, and other destinations to be successful. The purpose of this Act is to begin planning the transition to electric rental motor vehicle fleets to achieve the State's zero-emission transportation goals and avoid disruption in the rental car market as vehicle manufacturers cease production of gasoline-powered vehicles. SECTION 2. (a) There is established the rental car modernization task force within the department of transportation for administrative purposes. (b) The task force shall consist of the following members, or their designees: (1) The director of transportation, who shall also serve as chairperson of the task force; (2) The president of the Hawaii tourism authority; (3) The chief energy officer of the Hawaii state energy office; (4) The state sustainability coordinator; (5) One member appointed by the president of the senate; (6) One member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (7) Two members representing the rental car industry, as invited by the chairperson; (8) One local or regional representative of an auto manufacturing company, as invited by the chairperson; (9) One member representing the hotel industry, as invited by the chairperson; and (10) One member representing a public electrical utility, as invited by the chairperson. (c) The task force shall develop a plan to determine the feasibility of installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure at a rate and volume to support a one hundred per cent zero-emission rental motor vehicle fleet by 2035. This plan shall include an analysis of how airport parking structures may be able to accommodate charging station infrastructure and the financial requirements to do so. (d) The task force shall submit a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than December 1, 2021, with a final report to be submitted to the legislature no later than December 1, 2022. (e) The rental car modernization task force shall dissolve on May 31, 2023. SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. |
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