The nonprofit Maui Economic Opportunity is moving toward an electrical vehicle future by building a new electrical power charging station for its buses. At a Thursday event, Kahu Kimokeo Kapahulehua blessed the station with the assistance of Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and former state Sen. Gil Keith Agaran on Thursday morning at Maui Economic Opportunity’s Puunene Baseyard. Photo courtesy of MEO

The nonprofit Maui Economic Opportunity has a new electric-powered bus and Level 2 charging station.

The bus and facility helps to run the Maui Bus paratransit and the county’s specialized Human Services transportation systems by laying the foundation for an electric vehicle future.

A blessing performed by Kahu Kimokeo Kapahulehua was held Thursday at MEO’s Puunene Baseyard and was attended by about 25 people, including Mayor Richard Bissen, former state Sen. Gil Keith Agaran, county Department of Transportation Deputy Director Diane Yogi, MEO board members, leadership and staff and the bus and charger vendor representatives.

The electric Ford Sunset 10 seat bus has three wheelchair positions and a 140-mile range with a top speed of 65 mph.

The bus, a portable charger and mounted charger at the MEO shop in Kahului were purchased with a state grant. The level 2 chargers were purchased and installed at the Puunene Baseyard through a grant from the county.

The bus will take about 3.5 hours to completely charge, said Gabi Soderholm of vendor Soderholm Bus & Mobility. This is a vast improvement from the five days needed to charge the bus with the portable charger plugged into an outlet on the outside wall of the Transportation office.

The new chargers with five ports will allow Maui Economic Opportunity to add small EV buses and other vehicles to the fleet on Maui island, its Chief Executive Officer Debbie Cabebe said at the blessing.

Cabebe said that MEO hopes to transition its fleet of 110 buses and other vehicles to EVs over the next decade. The challenge is that EVs are much more expensive than regular gas-powered buses, she said.

“Transitioning to e-buses is essential to the future of specialized transportation in Maui County as it will lower the carbon footprint of the MEO fleet and reduce operating costs, while ensuring that vulnerable riders have safe and reliable transportation,” she said.

The EV bus arrived about a year ago and has been used for runs in Central Maui.

MEO operates the Maui Bus Americans with Disabilities Act paratransit service and the county Human Services transport, which provides rides to health appointments, jobs, shopping and other activities for low income and rural residents, kupuna, youth and persons with disabilities.

For more information about MEO Transportation services, call (808) 877-7651.