County of Maui
Public Information Office

200 South High Street
Wailuku, Hawai`i 96793-2155
Phone: (808) 270-7855
Fax: (808) 270-7870

Rod Antone
Communications Director

Ryan Piros & Lois Whitney
Asst. Communications Directors

PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate Release
September 18, 2015
PHOTO: Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima, shown here racing the Pike’s Peak Hillclimb in his
custom-built, $5 million electric race car, will appear in the Parade and greet the public
at the County Tent at the Maui Fair. Photo courtesy TEAM APEV.

County Tent at Maui Fair to Feature Two Tesla Electric Vehicles, Legendary Race Car
Driver Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima
County departments also highlighted with displays, giveaways
WAILUKU, Maui, Hawai`i – Mayor Alan Arakawa today announced that the Maui CountyTent at the Maui Fair next week, presented in partnership with the Blue Planet
Foundation, will offer high-energy excitement with two Tesla electric vehicles, aRoadster and a Model S, along with legendary race car driver and innovator Nobuhiro“Monster” Tajima.
The County tent will be located adjacent to the Entertainment tent, and will feature thetwo electric vehicles, multimedia displays and information about County and Blue Planet
Foundation programs. The public is invited to get a first-hand look at the electricvehicles, learn more about clean transportation options in Hawaii, and meet Mr. Tajima.
“Monster” Tajima will be at the County tent on Thursday, Sept. 24 after the parade until
8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 25 from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday Sept 26 from noon-1 pm.
“This is a great opportunity for everyone to see the amazing advances in clean energy
transportation,” said Mayor Arakawa. “The technology behind these high-end electricvehicles is exciting, because it shows how EVs are becoming more efficient- and more
powerful- all the time. I’m looking forward to riding with Monster in the parade and I
hope everyone comes to see us in the County tent at the fair.”Monster Tajima and the Tesla vehicles, displays and giveaways are being featured at theCounty tent in partnership with Blue Planet Foundation—a Hawaii-based nonprofit thatis dedicated to clearing the path for 100 percent clean energy—with support from theAssociation for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles (APEV) and the Hawaii Electric Vehicle
Network (HEVN).
With the recent launch of its clean transportation program, Blue Planet Foundation istaking a lead in helping Hawaii move away from fossil fuel use in ground transportation.

“We envision a world powered by 100 percent clean energy,” stated Shem Lawlor, Clean
Transportation Director at Blue Planet Foundation. “As ground transportation accounts
for over one-third of all fossil fuels imported to Hawaii, it is a path-defining issue forenergy independence.
“We are excited to bring the electric vehicle display to this year’s fair to give Mauiresidents a glimpse of how transportation in Hawaii is changing,” continued Lawlor.
“Electric vehicles are already lowering transportation costs for families across the state.
They are improving our environment and economy through reduced greenhouse gas
emissions and reliance on imported oil. Electric vehicles really are the future of driving
in Hawaii. And Monster Tajima is leading by example, demonstrating the power ofelectric vehicles on and off the racetrack and bringing this message to a wider
audience.”
Besides being a respected and acclaimed race car driver, Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima isChairman/CEO of Tajima Motor Corporation, Chairman of IRD Corporation, President
and CEO of SIM-Drive Corporation, and Chief Commissioner of APEV (Association for thePromotion of Electric Vehicles).
One of the most innovative leaders in the Japanese auto industry, Mr. Tajima has been a
car mechanic, engineer, champion race car driver, and successful business executive. He
played a major role in promoting motor sports with Suzuki under the “Suzuki Sports”
brand. As a race car driver, he has won the Asia Pacific Rally Competition five times andwon the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) six consecutive years from 2006 to2011.
In 2010, Mr. Tajima joined Mr. Soichiro Fukutake of Benesse Holdings, Inc. to establish
the Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles (APEV) in Japan to promoteelectric vehicles.
As a rally driver who has competed worldwide he has seen firsthand the serious impact
climate change has had all over the world, and felt the urgency to change from fuel cars
to cleaner vehicles. In 2012, he challenged PPIHC with his first electric race car the “ERunner”, and in 2013 he won the PPIHC Electric Vehicle Division with a record setting
time, bringing a new level of awareness to electric vehicles and their potential.
Not only are electric vehicles typically three times more efficient than gasoline vehicles,
they can run on electricity generated by renewable energy, like wind and solar. Electricvehicles can also provide solutions beyond transportation. Their mobile batteries could
help upgrade electrical grids and increase energy storage capacity.
Many Hawaii residents are already enjoying the benefits of electric vehicles. As of theend of August, Maui has 635 registered EVs (0.4% of all passenger vehicles on the island).
But that's not the highest penetration—that distinction belongs to Oahu, with 0.44% of
all passenger vehicles being electric. Maui used to lead in percentage of EVs, but waseclipsed in September 2011 by Oahu. Both islands are far ahead of Kauai (0.2% EVs) andHawaii Island (currently 0.1% EVs). There are now about 3,600 electric vehicles

statewide—and the rate of adoption hasn't shown signs of slowing, despite the dip ingasoline prices.
For more information on the County tent, call (808) 270-8238. For details on Blue PlanetFoundation, visit www.blueplanetfoundation.org. For information on APEV, visit
www.apev.jp/en/ and www.apev.jp/teamapev/top_e.html. To learn more about HEVN,
visit www.hevn.net/.
###