Hawaiian Electric adds seven EV charging stations to Oahu, Maui

A total of seven publicly accessible, fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) stations have been added to Oahu and Maui as part of Hawaiian Electric’s effort to meet 100 percent renewables-powered transportation goals by 2045.

The new chargers are DC fast charger stations, capable of extending typical vehicles’ range by about 40 miles in 15 minutes of charge. With their addition, Hawaiian Electric now offers 25 such stations throughout Hawaii to the more than 13,000 registered electric vehicles there. They can be used with everything from credit cards to smartphone apps.

“Building reliable, convenient, public EV charging infrastructure will accelerate clean transportation and encourage more drivers to go electric,” Aki Marceau, Hawaiian Electric director of electrification of transportation, said. “Transitioning to EVs will reduce emissions and allow us to use more renewable energy.”

Estimates put Hawaii’s transportation network as responsible for using nearly two-thirds of imported petroleum, resulting in more than half of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Given that the state’s four counties desire 100 percent public and private renewable-fueled ground transportation by 2045, and 30 percent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2030, Hawaiian Electric is working to accommodate that, and such chargers provide a foundation for replacing fossil-fuel-powered vehicles with electric counterparts.

In addition, Hawaiian Electric believes that such charging stations will incentivize drivers to charge during daytime hours when demand is less due to the abundance of renewable energy, and rates are appropriately lower as well.