“Clean cars” growing in popularity
by Michael Choe | Nov. 26, 2019
When you think of a clean car, you might picture a car with shiny rims, squeaky clean glass windows, and no visible splats from our feathered friends. But as the world — not just the state — moves toward a renewable energy future, electric vehicles might soon be commonly referred to as “clean cars.” An electric vehicle (EV) has zero carbon emission (meaning less air pollution), is very quiet, and is equipped with a battery-powered engine that doesn’t require petrol, diesel, or oil. The car itself is literally cleaner than its gas-powered counterpart.
According to the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the number of registered EVs in Hawaii increased significantly from last year. To celebrate the rise in EV popularity, car wash locations on Oahu, Hawaii Island, and Maui offered a discounted $10 car wash for the entire month of October exclusively for electric cars equipped with a government-issued EV license plate. One station on Oahu, called The Car Parlor, took it a step further and offered free washes for EVs on Oct. 10, 2019.
The rise in EV popularity also means that more chargers are needed to alleviate any range anxiety that EV drivers may have. State law requires that any parking lot with more than 100 parking spaces must have a charging station. For that reason, most shopping centers, airports, the Aloha Stadium, and other large establishments in Hawaii have EV chargers available. In some residential buildings, chargers are installed in private stalls with management approval. Additional EV chargers are included in some condominiums and are treated as an amenity for residents and their guests, much like barbecue grills, swimming pools and fitness centers.
A Honolulu resident expressed his enthusiasm for having EV chargers in his condominium complex. His initial concern with EVs was that “it’s not as simple or even possible for some people to charge an electric car overnight in an apartment or condo.” With the implementation of chargers in residential high-rises, he expects to see more of the “fancy electric cars” parked in his building soon.
If you spend any time on the road, you’re probably seeing more and more EVs during your commute. Personally, I can’t remember the last time I got through the day without seeing a Nissan Leaf or a Tesla, so it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing more EV chargers installed at condominium and business parking structures to accommodate EV owners.
Maybe the next step is to equip some street parking stalls with chargers but it might be a while before we see that. Who knows…maybe it’s coming sooner than we think. And we might hit 20,000 EVs in the state of Hawaii in no time as the charging infrastructure for EVs expands, and as more and more consumers recognize the benefits of “clean cars.”
Michael Choe is a digital communications and social media specialist and Hawaiian Electric Company.
