State unveils first federally funded EV station on Maui
COURTESY HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
The new federally funded electric vehicle charging station is located at the Kahului Park & Ride on Maui. HDOT says charging will be free to the public through March 10.
The state’s first federally funded EV charging station is now open at the Kahului Park & Ride on Maui.
Officials from the Hawaii Department of Transportation held a blessing Wednesday for the new station, which offers four, 150-kilowatt DC fast chargers along Kuihelani Highway. It opened to the public at noon following the dedication.
Charging at the station will be free of charge through March 10, DOT said, as time-of-use rates are finalized.
The charging station on Maui is the first of more to come as part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI program authorized by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Another one is expected near Aloha Tower in Honolulu.
The design and construction of the Maui station cost $3 million, with $2.4 million from federal funds and $600,000 from the state highway fund.
“Providing drivers with the opportunity to choose alternatives to vehicles with traditional internal combustion engines is a critical part of the strategy to get Hawaii to a clean energy portfolio by 2045,” said DOT Director Ed Sniffen in a statement. “When we began planning our department’s conversion to EVs we calculated an estimated annual reduction in CO2 emissions of 8,700 pounds per vehicle, which is roughly the amount of energy used by an average American home in half a year. We’re excited to have federal support for the electrification of transportation.”
Hawaii has the second highest EV adoption rate in the nation, behind California, according to DOT.
The NEVI program seeks to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build out alternative fuel corridors with a national network of EV chargers.
To qualify for NEVI funding, EV charging stations must be publicly available 24/7 and be located within a mile from the nearest alternative fuel corridor. DOT said the Kahului Park & Ride site was chosen because it fit these criteria.
After March 10, NEVI payment rates and charger availability will be available via the EV Connect App at evconnect.com. The charger will accept payments via credit card.
