Hawaiian Electric taking applications for Charge Up Commercial EV charging pilot

Hawaiian Electric is currently accepting applications for its new $5 million Charge Up Commercial electric vehicle charging pilot program.

The initiative is designed to help customers reduce the upfront cost of installing electric vehicle charging equipment at stores, businesses, condominiums, office buildings, and fleet and parking facilities.

Through this three-year pilot program, Hawaiian Electric will pay for and install equipment to support customer-purchased charging stations, including transformers, conduits, and electric panels. As many companies may find installing the necessary charging equipment cost-prohibitive, this initiative looks to solve that problem.

“We’re excited to give businesses, condos, and apartments the opportunity to meet current demand and get ahead of the curve by installing electric vehicle charging equipment,” Aki Marceau, Hawaiian Electric’s director of electrification of transportation, said. “Not only is it good for business, but installing charging stations sends a clear message that you support Hawaii’s ambitious clean energy goals.”

The goal is to establish up to 30 new charging sites on Oahu, Hawaii Island, and in Maui County.

Hawaiian Electric will pay for and manage infrastructure construction up to and beyond the customer’s meter to the point where the charging equipment is installed. The pilot employs a time-of-use rate structure that incentivizes charging during midday hours when there is an abundance of solar energy on the grid.

Charge Up Commercial application forms can be found on the Hawaiian Electric website.