EV charging station network nearly built

Hawaii is closing in on the installation of 200 electric vehicle charging stations across the state, a milestone that officials hope will encourage the continued expansion of the market for EVs here.

The state also is hiring a contractor to develop an application for mobile devices that will allow motorists to more easily locate EV charging stations while they are driving, said Mark Glick, administrator of the state’s Energy Office.

The installation of the 200 chargers is expected to be reached in the next few months at 80 locations around Hawaii.

“This makes owning an EV in Hawaii a real option for regular folks,” Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz said a news conference timed to coincide with this week’s First Hawaiian Auto Show at the Hawai‘i Convention Center.

There were 704 electric cars registered in Hawaii as of Feb. 12, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

With the installation of 200 public charging stations, Hawaii will become the nation’s leader on a per-capita basis with one charging station for every 5,500 residents, according to the Energy Office. Oregon is second with one charger for every 10,000 residents, followed by Washington state with one charger for every 11,800 residents.

For a list of the charging stations, see electricvehicle.hawaii.gov.