Interest in electric vehicles continues to grow in Hawaii as EV ownership increased in 2014 by almost 50 percent from the prior year.

As of December there were 3,166 passenger electric vehicles in the state, increasing the number of registered EVs by 1,041 vehicles, a 49 percent gain from the same month last year, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

In December electric vehicle registration increased by 67 vehicles, or 2 percent, from November.
Hawaii is near the top of the list of states for adoption of electric vehicles, said Dave Rolf, executive director of the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association.

“The cars have become very popular here. Electric vehicles are key to Hawaii’s Clean Energy Initiative,” Rolf said. “Thirty-one of our 70 dealers carry electric vehicles.”