Hawaiian Electric deploys two EV fast chargers in Mililani

Hawaiian Electric announced Tuesday it has deployed a new fast-charging station at the Town Center of Mililani as part of a pilot program aimed at encouraging greater electric vehicle adoption.

The new station offers two publicly accessible fast chargers that can provide more than 40 miles of additional range for a typical EV in 15 minutes for a fee.

The new chargers bring the total of company-owned and operated fast chargers to 27 on four islands: 15 on Oahu, six on Hawaii Island, five on Maui and one on Molokai.

The charging rates vary by island and are adjusted for time of use, Hawaiian Electric said, with lower rates during daytime hours to encourage charging when solar energy is abundant.

On Oahu, rates midday, or from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., are 49 cents per kilowatt-hour.

During “on-peak” hours, 5 to 10 p.m., rates go up to 57 cents per kilowatt-hour. During “off-peak” hours from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m., rates are 54 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Hawaiian Electric said five more fast chargers are under construction on Oahu and expected to come online over the next few months.

The company said it is seeking regulatory approval to significantly expand its charging network to help Hawaii meet its decarbonization goals, with a plan for 150 single-port fast chargers and 150 dual-port Level 2 chargers across five islands with a new, lower rate structure.

“With the number of EVs on Hawaii’s roadways more than tripling over the past five years there is clearly a need for more charging options,” said Aki Marceau, Hawaiian Electric’s director of electrification of transportation, in a news release. “We hope our efforts will spark other providers to join the charging station build-out while we serve as a backbone of reliable charging for our community.”

In June there were 19,914 passenger electric vehicles in the state, an increase of about 31%, from the same month in 2021, and a 1.4% increase from May, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, in its monthly energy trend report.

Hawaiian Electric worked with the Town Center of Mili­lani, a shopping center anchored by Walmart and Times Supermarket, to deploy the new chargers.

According to the Hawaii State Energy Office, the transportation sector is a major user of energy in Hawaii. Ground transportation in the state accounts for about 27% of petroleum consumption and 20% of greenhouse gas emissions.

The state’s four major counties have committed to having 100% public and private renewable-fueled ground transportation by 2045 to advance Hawaii’s decarbonization goals.

In addition, Hawaii has set a goal of having 100% of all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission by 2050.

To reach this goal, the interim target is to reach 30% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2030.