Tackling the World's Most Remote Locations? With Subaru, It's Easee!

One of the biggest goals of ecological sustainability is, well, sustainability! Using sustainable technologies to create true energy independence in some of the most remote places on Earth remains a crucial goal for the governments of independent islands and other isolated territories worldwide. Many places—like Hawaii, Easter Island, Tuvalu, and Qaqortoq—rely heavily on imported energy sources, which, in many cases, is more than just a matter of logistical economics. This energy dependence represents a real vulnerability to the sustainability of these ecosystems. For that reason, many governments in these types of remote locations are actively seeking energy self-sufficiency in the coming decade. Since petrol isn’t naturally available in many of these places, and because of its negative ecological impact on these isolated environments, the future of electric vehicles looks bright here.

Enter the strategic partnership between Subaru UK and Norwegian EV charger brand Easee. The two have teamed up with the government of St. Helena to host a groundbreaking initiative promoting sustainable energy and zero-emission transport. St. Helena, an extremely remote overseas British territory, is located 1,200 miles off the southwest coast of Africa. With its ambitious goal of transitioning to a self-sustaining energy network and 100% emission-free transportation by 2030, leaders at Subaru have set their sights on making this a reality.

St. Helena currently generates 25% of its electricity from wind and solar energy, with the remainder coming from an expensive and relatively unclean diesel station that consumes roughly $6.2M USD of imported fuel annually. However, the government is currently underway with its plan to generate 80% of the island’s power through renewable sources by 2028, aligning with its commitment to sustainability.

Mark Brooks, St. Helena’s Minister for Treasury and Economic Development, expressed enthusiasm for this latest project. “The next step is to roll out the infrastructure so that we are using electric vehicles more and more on the island. There are a lot of diesel and petrol vehicles currently, and we want to change that behavior.

Trial Overview

For two months, an Easee Charge unit was installed outside the Museum in Jamestown, the capital of St. Helena, and connected to the local power grid. The charging station powered Subaru's all-electric Solterra, which simultaneously underwent rigorous testing across the island's rugged and varied terrain. The trial aimed to test the feasibility, reliability, and adaptability of EV technology in one of the world's most isolated locations, and in true Subaru fashion, the Solterra aced the test.

Arriving on the island aboard a monthly supply ship, the unpackaging of the all-new Solterra drew significant attention from locals. Known for their durability, Subarus are already keenly popular on the island, but this day marked the arrival of its first all-electric model to these British soils. As one might guess, the Solterra easily tackled St. Helena’s sealed and dirt roads, tight lanes, and volcanic landscapes. However, islanders and researchers alike were excited to discover a day's worth of rigorous trekking only consumed 20% of th battery capacity--following a full day of driving. The vehicle’s regenerative braking system proved invaluable as it navigated the challenging topography of the island, working intuitively to maximize vehicle efficiency during the multitude of downhill descents. Who knew going downhill could be so productive?

Local Impact and Future Plans

The Easee Charge unit will remain on the island as part of a plan to further expand existing EV charging infrastructure, allowing a small fleet of electric vehicles to be imported for tourists and residents.

Subaru UK's Managing Director, Lorraine Bishton, remarked, 'From Subaru’s perspective, it’s an honor to be involved in a project that could potentially lead to a fully sustainable future for Saint Helena. It’s a real testament to Subaru’s reliability and capability that we’re not sending a technician with the Solterra. And to be honest, if you can operate an electric vehicle in this type of environment, then you really can anywhere.'   Spoken like a true Subaru adventurer!

While not necessarily groundbreaking in terms of overall EV technology, this joint venture is an important step in testing the feasibility of EV adoption in such remote locations. With ongoing governmental efforts, St. Helena hopes to soon achieve a zero-emission automotive footprint, setting an example for sustainable development in similar territories worldwide.

And who knows, maybe one day, we’ll look back and think, “Wow, this all started on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere!”