A conversation with an EV charging expert
by Timur Tufail | June 20, 2023
David Locke manages Hawaiian Electric’s Electrification of Transportation- (EoT) related assets. David’s responsibilities include overseeing Hawaiian Electric’s network of publicly available direct current fast charging (DCFC) stations across Oahu, Maui County, and Hawaii Island. The company began installing the charging stations in 2013 under a pilot program aimed at developing a critical backbone of reliable, utility-owned chargers in our service area, while serving as a launch point for broader electric transportation in the third-party charging market.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in alternative energy and the electrification of transportation?
A: Growing up in Hawaii, I saw first-hand how an island oasis could suddenly become overpopulated. The transformation of small-town living quickly changed to that of a bustling city. Seeing the human race fight for and overconsume limited resources would eventually change my career interest at an early age. I naturally gravitated toward education opportunities associated with green technologies. I wanted to work within the environment which I loved to explore, protect natural resources, and create a better future for generations to come.
Q: What are some of your biggest challenges managing Hawaiian Electric’s public charging network?
A: We understand that some drivers may be frustrated by limited availability of public charging stations regardless of who owns and operates them. There also may be confusion about whether stations are owned and operated by Hawaiian Electric or other parties. If customers are having trouble with a particular charging station, we recommend they contact the charger operator using phone numbers or email addresses displayed on the specific station.
Just like when you take your car into the shop, sometimes the parts needed to maintain our charging equipment must be special ordered from the mainland or elsewhere in the world. Cybersecurity is also a high priority, so third-party hardware and software must be vetted to ensure our systems are not compromised. Our service teams are quick to respond to the intermittent reliability issues that occur, but unfortunately global supply chain issues have made it challenging to obtain replacement parts for us as well as DCFC manufacturers worldwide. As such, we are not always able to forecast precise dates for certain stations to be brought back online.
Q: For customers who encounter sporadic issues with Hawaiian Electric’s DCFC stations, what would you recommend?
A: We encourage drivers to use websites or app services for live updates on public charger availability. If one of our charge stations is offline or one of the ports is unavailable, we will post notices on the following platforms:
- Hawaiian Electric Mobile app: https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/billing-and-payment/mobile-app
- Hawaiian Electric DCFC Location map: https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/products-and-services/electric-vehicles/fast-charging/fast-charging-locations
- PlugShare: https://www.plugshare.com/
- Shell Recharge (formerly Greenlots): https://sky.shellrecharge.com/evowner/portal/locate-charger
- OpConnect: https://www.opconnect.com/Locations/Map
Q: What kind of actions are you and your team taking to manage these issues?
A: We’ve taken lessons learned over the course of the DCFC pilot and are implementing many improvements to increase charger reliability for our customers. For example, we are:
- Contracting with a service partner with specialized knowledge of DCFC repairs
- Securing the latest in DCFC technology for new and replacement stations
- Developing greater in-house expertise and resources to support the maintenance and repair of the DCFC, and
- Standardizing our communication strategy through harmonized communication lines and cohesive departmental processes
Q: What can you say about Hawaiian Electric’s plans to expand its EV charging network?
A: We filed an application with the Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”) for approval of our Public Electric Vehicle Charger Expansion Project. This project would expand and make permanent our public DCFC pilot across Oahu, Maui County, and Hawaii Island.
The project would allow us to install an additional 150 single-port DCFCs and 150 dual-port Level 2 charging stations for public use across Oahu, Maui County, and Hawaii Island. We also launched an interactive map to crowdsource potential charger site locations: http://chargeuphi.com/. We encourage customers to add locations that would be helpful, and our planning teams will take the feedback into consideration once we have the PUC’s approval to install more chargers.
The expansion proposal is under public review by the PUC and the public is welcome to send letters of support for the proposal. Letters of support can be emailed to: Hawaii.PUC@hawaii.gov. Please include subject line: “Letter of support for Hawaiian Electric’s Docket №2021–0173 Public Electric Vehicle Charger Expansion Project.”
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David was born and raised in Kailua on the island of Oahu. He would eventually relocate to Washington State where he has spent much of his professional career. Over the last 14 years, David has worked within the alternative energy field, playing various supporting roles in the early efforts to electrify transportation, and helping to expand the electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the greater Pacific Northwest. David’s passion for EoT would lead him back to the Islands, where he joined Hawaiian Electric in 2022. David lives near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and likes to spend his free time fishing off the southern cliffs of Hawaii Island with his wife and two daughters.
Timur Tufail is a senior program manager of electrification of transportation at Hawaiian Electric.
