After President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that he had approved an electric vehicle infrastructure deployment plan for all states, the Hawaii Department of Transportation will begin implementing that plan.
The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure is a new program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last November.
The federal government has set standards for electric vehicle infrastructure in all states. Phase 1 of the program requires the installation of one fast charger within one mile at 50-mile intervals along all highways in Hawaii.
The Department of Transportation expects approximately $6.1 million in federal funding for the first two years of this five-year program.
The goal of the program is to establish a statewide network of reliable and convenient fast chargers for electric vehicles. This charger can fully charge 4 cars simultaneously within 20 minutes.
“Hawaii ranks among the highest in the state for electric vehicle adoption,” said Ed Sniffen, deputy director of the highway division. “Through this program, we will close a gap in the state’s charging network to make electric vehicle ownership cost-effective, make charging more convenient, and support conversions in line with aggressive state goals. “
The approved plan calls for 11 chargers on six islands.
The Department of Transportation is discussing charger placement with state and county agencies, local power companies, and commercial center owners.
An important part of the plan is community involvement to ensure that chargers are strategically placed to be accessible and safe, and that they do not negatively impact neighborhoods.. Once these 11 chargers are installed, plans will be updated to add charging stations in other hallways and community locations.
Over the next three months, the Department of Transportation will finalize the selection of the first three sites, complete site preparation work, and order charging equipment. The division will work with existing contractor sustainability partners to purchase, operate and maintain chargers.
Updates regarding plan implementation and community meeting schedules will be posted on the Hawaii Department of Transportation website.
