Hawaii will be one of the first states in the country where the new Nissan "Leaf" will be rolled out.
There was a preview of the car at the Hawaii Convention Center today.
Nissan joins the ranks of electric car makers with the Leaf. It doesn't use gas, but the battery has to be charged.
"The state of Hawaii has made a huge commitment to the necessary infrastructure to support the vehicle. So we're very excited about it," said Brian Carolin of Nissan.
More than 300 people have already made deposits on the car for the time they are delivered in January. In fact, there are more buyers per capita here than any other place in the country.
"It's a real car. This car can reach a top speed of 90 miles an hour, there is room for five passengers and there is an opportunity to drive up to a hundred miles on a full charge in most driving circumstances."
Carolin says with state and federal tax credits and rebates, the real price of the car drops to just over $20,000.
But it's real attraction, according to Carolin.
"Is the thing it does not possess the tailpipe. There is no tailpipe, no gas, no emissions."
You can plug in the Nissan Leaf at your house but what if you live in an apartment building?
"And we have already engaged with the condominium association here in Hawaii through the clean energy division, with the building managers association to talk through some of these issues."
The governor took a test drive, but before she left the Convention Center, she stressed that electric cars can only be a boom for Hawaii.
"A place that the entire economy is dependent on a clean environment. People have to visualize us as truly a paradise and a part of paradise is clean air to breathe," said Governor Lingle.
