All-electric seaglider developer Regent is to explore the build-out of a seaglider transportation network in the US state of Hawaii.

“Regent is committed to helping Hawaii move toward a sustainable transportation future and knows that the very first step is to listen and learn what the community cares about. The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive and the opportunity to build a seaglider network for Hawaii is a dream come true. We're thrilled to help push the boundaries of innovation in clean transportation for the state,” says Regent CEO and co-founder Billy Thalheimer. “We recognise that Hawaii is a special place, with a sacred culture, sensitive environmental ecosystems and unrivalled biodiversity. The feasibility study continues our commitment to engage with local communities, civic organisations and all appropriate private and public sectors leaders to understand how seagliders can help improve the daily lives of the residents. We are excited and humbled to be a part of this team accelerating Hawaii's push toward a zero-emission future.”

Mokulele Airlines will be the launch partner for the network, as it intends to bring a fleet of Regent's 12 passenger Viceroy seagliders to the island chain.

“The Regent seaglider is a complete game changer for the state of Hawaii,” says CEO Stan Little. “Not only can this vehicle help the state meet its sustainability and resiliency goals more quickly, but this will enable our airline to offer new services that aren't possible today. The seaglider network gives us the ability to stand up a fast, convenient affordable transportation solution that will not require passengers to have to go to an airport. Just imagine going from Kona Harbour to downtown Honolulu in less than 55 minutes door to door. The partnership between Regent and Pacific Current allows us to do what we do best, and that is to provide local communities across the state with safe, convenient transportation for their leisure, business and medical travel needs.”

Regent first embarked on its community listening tour in the summer of 2021. Key members of the Regent management team have spent almost a full year engaging with stakeholders across the public, private and civic sectors to understand the needs of the residents, learn more about the unique ecosystems associated with the region and support state officials think through Hawaii's sustainability and resiliency goals.

Honolulu-based SMS Research will look at the economic, environmental and community benefits and challenges; the study focuses on the economic impact to the state as well as how seagliders can help advance affordability and accessibility of transportation, including assessing the impact of adding new routes and services to improve access for underserved communities. The study will also include a detailed analysis of various ports and harbours led by engineering and construction management company EKNA Services.

Pacific Current, a Hawaii-based sustainable energy solution provider, will focus on vehicle financing as well as developing and providing access to renewable energy and electric charging infrastructure. Local operators providing cargo, passenger and emergency services to Hawaii will be able to easily transition to a new, sustainable form of transportation without having to spend large amounts of capital to get a new service up and running. They will have access to vehicle leasing and financing solutions from Pacific Current as well as dock and charging infrastructure that will map to important inter and intra island commercial routes.

“Joining forces with Regent represents a huge opportunity for Pacific Current and HEI to significantly increase our clean energy and clean transportation impact,” says president Scott Valentino. “The upfront capital costs associated with a transition of this magnitude are immense, and often this is a gating factor for wider adoption. We hope to enable local service providers in passenger, freight and emergency services to lower the price of passenger travel and the costs of moving goods and services throughout the state. We are proud to play a small role in the state's transition to a clean energy future.”