Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (Thursday, April 19, 2018) – FortisTCI recently landed the first electric car in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) as part of the company’s electric vehicle (EV) and charging station pilot program. The program includes a six-to-12 month feasibility study that will provide insight into this new technology for interested customers in the TCI.
This EV is a Nissan Leaf Acenta that is 100% electric. It features a 30kWh battery which when fully charged can drive up to approximately 100 miles.
FortisTCI President & CEO Eddinton Powell said, “While the EV market has yet to evolve in the TCI, EVs are now being adopted globally and across the Caribbean as an alternative to gasoline and diesel engines. These cost-effective ‘greener’ zero emission vehicles are poised to transform the transportation industry and the energy sector. FortisTCI is preparing to meet the future energy demands of our customers in both traditional and nontraditional ways. This strategic approach is in line with FortisTCI’s commitment to offering environmentally sustainable energy solutions to the TCI and we’re very excited to launch this project.”
As a first step in introducing the vehicle, the vehicle services team at FortisTCI participated in an EV repair and replacement training from April 9 to 12. The training was facilitated by Megapower Ltd., a Barbados based company that offers EV sales and services across the Caribbean. On Friday April 13, FortisTCI also hosted a training session for emergency responders that covered topics such as an introduction to EVs and response to accidents involving these types of vehicles.
The EV and charging station pilot program is the latest environmentally sustainable energy solution in which FortisTCI is investing. In 2017, the company installed and commissioned its first grid-tied solar energy systems on two commercial properties on Providenciales. FortisTCI offers grid-tied solar programs to both commercial and residential customers across the TCI.
By the end of this year, FortisTCI will launch its one megawatt (1MW) large-scale, utility-led solar project. This development is planned in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Institute-Carbon War Room (RMI-CWR), a global leader in creating clean, resilient, and affordable energy solutions by working with utilities and governments. The 1MW project will encompass several sites across the islands.
