Hawaiian Electric proposes plan to expand EV charging network

Hawaiian Electric filed a proposal with the state’s Public Utilities Commission to expand its public electric vehicle charger network and implement lower EV charging rates.

The proposed Public Electric Vehicle Charger Expansion Project would install and operate approximately 150 single-port DC fast charging stations and 150 dual-port Level 2 charging stations at roughly 75 sites across the company’s service territory from 2023 through 2030. Roughly 60 percent of the sites would be on Oahu, while 20 percent would be on Maui and 20 percent on the Big Island.

Further, Hawaiian Electric proposed a revised EV charging tariff designed to be roughly cost-competitive with gasoline to encourage charging during the middle of the day when solar energy is abundant. The proposed rates are 20 percent to 46 percent below the existing pilot rates, depending on the island and time of day the charging is done.

“Providing drivers with expanded public charging options is critical to serving more electric vehicles on Hawaii’s roadways,” Aki Marceau, Hawaiian Electric’s director of electrification of transportation, said. “Hawaiian Electric is committed to taking action on climate change by helping to decarbonize Hawaii’s economy, and electrifying ground transportation is a major part of that effort.”

The project will cost about $79 million, which includes the installation and maintenance of the charging stations. Hawaiian Electric would recover the cost of the project from customers over the seven-year life of the project. As EV adoption grows, the resulting increase in electricity sales revenue will put downward pressure on electricity rates for all customers.

Hawaiian Electric estimates that in 2030 more than 3,600 public charging stations will be needed at workplaces, shopping centers, parks, and multi-unit dwellings so that future EV users have dependable charging solutions. This initiative will help fill that gap and, in turn, increase EV adoption rates.