Electric vehicles: Charge with aloha!

by Robert Yang | Aug. 2, 2023

Recently, I’ve noticed several electric vehicles (EV) queued up in the parking lot at our Ward Avenue facility. With more and more new EV owners each year, the wait times at our 30 public fast charging stations on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island have significantly increased.

To provide more charging opportunities, Hawaiian Electric is seeking regulatory approval to significantly expand our charging network. The plan calls for 150 single-port fast chargers and 150 dual-port Level 2 chargers at 75 sites across our service territory.

In the meantime, we are urging customers to play their part and “charge with aloha.” While a fast charging station can provide a customer with 40 miles of additional range in just 15 minutes, it may require wait times for the next customer.

What does it mean to charge with aloha?

It means to be kind, courteous, and respectful to each other when using a charging station. This helps ensure that everyone who needs to charge their EV will get a fair chance to access the equipment. Our Electrification of Transportation team has put these simple etiquette tips to help:

• Be respectful: Sometimes drivers will depart from their EV while it’s charging. They might leave a note with their phone number or instructions in the event their session ends before they return. If there’s no note and you need to use the station immediately, you can check out the PlugShare app or www.plugshare.com to find an alternative station near you. Do not try to unplug the charger while it is in-use, even if the station states that the session is done.
• The 80% rule: The purpose of a fast charging station is to provide a rapid charge for immediate extra mileage rather than to charge the battery to its maximum. Consider concluding your session once your EV’s battery reaches 80%. Most EVs slow the charging rate after it’s 80% full, and that last 20% can take even longer to complete. This also helps to maximize the battery’s lifetime.
• Don’t hog the stall: Some of our fast charging stations are located within busy commercial areas. You may run errands or do activities while your EV charges. If the EV is charged and ready to go, but you’re not finished with your business in the area, we suggest you move the EV to a regular parking stall before continuing your activities. You can set an alarm to notify yourself to move your EV so someone else can have a turn or use your vehicle app (if you have one) to check the charging status. Remember, just because your vehicle is electric doesn’t mean you can park in a fast charging station stall without actively using the charger. Some charging stations have two stalls — one standard stall and one that is larger for ADA-compliancy. Please use the appropriate one that applies to you.
• Clean up when you’re done: Place the connector securely back in the charger holster when you’re finished charging. This will help prevent damage to the connector and avoid creating a tripping hazard for others.

Charge with aloha makes the charging experience a positive one for all users. By being considerate of others, you can help minimize wait times and create a positive experience for everyone using the station. You can find a listing of our fast charging stations on our Hawaiian Electric mobile app or on our website.

Robert Yang is a digital communications and social media specialist at Hawaiian Electric Company.