Charging Experience
Most electric vehicle owners charge their vehicles at home. An overnight charge is typically sufficient for most drivers to wake up to a fully charged battery that will get them wherever they need throughout the day. A growing network of charging stations is also available throughout the state.
LEVEL 1 CHARGING
This charging option utilizes the 120-volt alternating current (AC) outlets found in most U.S. households. Depending on your EV and battery technology your vehicle incorporates, charging with a 120-volt outlet will add 2 to 5 miles of range per hour of charging.
LEVEL 2 CHARGING
This charging option uses a 240-volt AC plug requiring the installation of additional home charging equipment, including a charging unit and, in some cases, upgrades to electrical panels and a dedicated circuit for charging. Depending on the EV and battery technology your vehicle incorporates, charging with a 240-volt outlet will add 10 to 20 miles of range per hour of charging.
DC FAST CHARGING
This charging option uses a 480-volt direct current (DC) plug enabling rapid charging at public charging stations. A DC fast charge can add 60 to 80 miles of range and 80 percent battery capacity charge to a BEV in 20 minutes.
The choice between Level 1 120-volt AC, Level 2 240-volt AC, or DC fast charging is all about trade-offs. Level 1 charging requires a longer charging time. However, Level 2 and DC fast charging can involve higher costs with regard to bigger utility bills, additional charging equipment or upgrades, and use of expensive charging facilities.
Source: Charging at Home
*Maximum power rating of 3.3 kW based on a Nissan Leaf. Miles per charging time varies depending on driving conditions, vehicle and model year.
Safety
Charging your EV is as safe as safe gets. Plugs, outlets and plugging in are protected from bad weather and water. And safety features are built into EVs and charging stations to prevent electrical hazards. Check out your EV owner’s manual or talk to your automobile dealer for more information.
Charging at Home
Want another reason why Hawaii EV owners have an exciting driving life?
One of the top benefits of having an EV in your garage is the ability to charge it with energy from home solar panels. Many EV owners use surplus energy from their rooftop photovoltaic installations to power their vehicles and save money.
Discounted Utility Rates for Electric Vehicle Charging
There are two EV pilot charging rates available to businesses to encourage their installation of new public EV charging facilities metered separately from other uses. One of these rates removes a pricey “demand charge” generally imposed on customers for businesses providing DC fast charging. The other allows Hawaiian Electric Companies to run up to 25 open-to-the-public DC fast charging facilities on Oahu, the island of Hawaii and in Maui County where drivers can recharge EVs for a per session fee.
Time-of-Use (TOU) Rate Adjustment
Applicable to EV charging in Hawaii County, Maui County and the City and County of Honolulu, the TOU adjustment makes EV owners eligible for a lower electricity rate for overnight charging. Just last month, HECO announced regulatory approval to offer differential charging rates for EV owners, helping to assure that quick charging stations don’t end up charging customers different rates based on peak load. In short, that helps people driving EVs not to fret about when they do their charging at private charging stations around the state.
HECO Rates Enrollment
Hawaiian Electric Companies’ customers may qualify for a TOU rate, which offers a savings derived from using energy at times of day when solar power is most abundant.
Find a Charging Station
One of the biggest challenges of owning an EV is finding an open and working charging station while you’re on the go.
Visit Plugshare.com to see charging stations.
Public Charging
At a public charging station, drivers have a variety of payment options, including pre-paid network cards and use of their own credit card. Costs vary per charging network.
A Mobi Charger can deliver a near-full charge to most fast-charge capable EVs in less than 45 minutes. These charging stations include a CHAdeMO quick-charging connector – which is utilized by most Japanese and Korean EVs, including the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Kia Soul EV – and a Tesla adapter connection.
Want to Know Where All the Public EV Charging Stations in Hawaii Are?
There’s an App for That.
The Hawaii State Energy Office offers a free mobile app with the location of every public charging station in the Islands. The app is available for Apple and Android smartphones, and other mobile devices. See the web-based app for EV Stations Hawaii
