The Big Island has a long way to go before all its vehicles are fully electric.
In 2017, then-Mayor Harry Kim and the other mayors in the state issued a proclamation promising to fully transition all of Hawaii’s public and private transportation to operate only on renewable resources by 2045.
Nearly five years later, that transition has been slow. As of January, there were 1,272 electric vehicles on Big Island roads, said Noel Morin, president of the Big Island Electric Vehicle Association. That accounts for less than 1% of all the vehicles in Hawaii County.
Morin said there are about 18,000 EVs statewide, about 14,000 of which are on Oahu.
In particular, Morin said he sees three primary problems discouraging widespread adoption of EVs on the island.
“First, there’s the cost,” Morin said. “And then there’s the perception that EVs can’t travel too far. People have range anxiety. And third, there’s the lack of public charging infrastructure.”
While Morin said the first two problems likely will be addressed by the natural progression of the market — competition will drive prices down and force automakers to improve their vehicles’ capabilities — the third problem is the most pernicious.
Morin said there currently are only eight “Level 3” fast-charging stations on the island. While they are spread out around the island in such a way that an EV is unlikely to run out of charge between them, they also are prone to failure, which forces EV drivers to use “Level 2” charging stations, such as those at public parking lots.
“At (The Level 2 stations), it’s about one hour of charge for about 30 miles of driving,” said Hilo resident Edith Adkins, who purchased a zero-emissions vehicle last July.
Adkins said she can generally make it from her home to Costco in Kailua-Kona and back on a single charge, but she still gets range anxiety.
Adkins’ car, a Tesla, takes about eight hours to go from zero to full charge using Level 2 charging infrastructure, she said.
Of course, even Level 2 charging stations may not be available. Adkins said the charging stations at Costco are usually occupied at the store’s busiest time, and Morin said the charging stations at the Hilo Home Depot have not worked for about three years.
“You have to plan before you leave,” Adkins concluded, a sentiment echoed more bluntly by Kalapana Seaview Estates resident Lorn Douglas.
“You could get stranded if you’re unintelligent,” Douglas said.
Douglas, who purchased one of the Big Island’s first EVs in the late 2000s, said the capabilities of EVs already have improved since then. Cars that were once only able to make short trips on a full charge now have effective ranges of more than 300 miles, and battery systems that degraded quickly are now hardier.
Morin said the pre-owned EV market is strengthening as well, further reducing the financial barrier for entry. Even so, Douglas said the cost of installing the necessary charging infrastructure at a private residence is still about $1,000 at minimum, and may not even be an option for those living in apartment complexes or condos.
“If you’re not on solar, charging at home is probably not cost-effective,” Adkins said, adding that the power cost of home charging for on-grid homes is one of the main concerns her friends have about switching to an EV.
But change is happening, if slowly.
Last year, a state bill was passed allowing counties to require that any new parking lots with 100 or more parking spaces include a minimum amount of dedicated charging stations. Morin said Hamakua Councilwoman Heather Kimball later this month will introduce county legislation to enforce that law.
Meanwhile, Hawaii is set to receive nearly $18 million in federal funds over the next five years to expand its charging network, as part of a congressional plan to develop 500,000 EV charging stations nationwide by 2030.
And Morin pointed to a host of new legislation introduced this year that would further incentivize the production of EV infrastructure or the purchase of EVs.
But both Adkins and Douglas said their decisions to go electric were motivated by ideals more than anything.
Adkins, a conservation planner, said she always planned to switch to a zero-emissions vehicle after her previous vehicle, a hybrid, gave up the ghost.
“Also, it’s really fun to drive,” Adkins added.
“I’m a baby boomer, and I recognize that my generation was a big contributor to all the problems with our environment that we have today,” Douglas said. “What I always tell people is: ‘Do you want to be part of the problem or the solution?’”
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
