EV charging rises across Hawaiian Electric service areas
Charging at commercial sites more than doubled in the first half of 2026
News Release from HECO, 9/30/2026
HONOLULU, Sept. 30, 2026 – Hawaiian Electric provided significantly more electricity for EV charging at commercial charging locations and the company's own fast charging sites during the first six months of 2026 than during the same period last year. Growing EV adoption and improved availability of the company's charging network helped drive the increase.
The largest increase was at commercial charging locations, such as shopping centers, big-box retailers and federally supported NEVI sites. Electricity use at commercial sites more than doubled from 3.1 gigawatt-hours to 6.4 gigawatt-hours, or enough electricity to power about 12,600 homes for a month. Meanwhile, electricity provided at Hawaiian Electric's 26 fast charging sites increased 20%, from 1.1 gigawatt-hours to 1.3 gigawatt-hours, during the same period. The data does not include home charging, which is still how most EV drivers “fill up,” especially those with rooftop solar.
“As we celebrate National Drive Electric Month, it’s encouraging to see more charging opportunities for EV drivers,” said Aki Marceau, Hawaiian Electric’s director of electrification of transportation. “As a mom with young kids and a teenage driver, I relate to many families across Hawaii who find that transportation is one of the biggest expenses in their household budget.”
“Electric vehicles can help lower the cost of getting around because they use energy more efficiently and generally cost less to fuel and maintain than gas-powered cars. By expanding access to reliable, affordable charging, we can make those savings available to more people across our communities,” Marceau said.
Although higher oil prices have increased both gasoline prices and electric rates, EVs remain cheaper to operate than gas cars for most drivers, depending on how they charge and how much they drive.
Hawaii’s steady rise in EV ownership has fueled more demand for charging. In June, there were 40,947 EVs registered in areas served by Hawaiian Electric, up 4,362 from June 2025.Hawaii has the nation’s third-highest EV ownership per capita, eclipsed only by California and Washington state.
To support growing demand for public charging, Hawaiian Electric is upgrading equipment at its fast-charging locations and installing additional chargers at sites where customer demand is high. With additional charging stations and improved station reliability, utilization rose approximately 8%. The biggest increases in utilization occurred at locations where additional chargers were installed, indicating pent-up charging demand in these areas. These locations include Ward Avenue, Hilo Office, Kona Office, and Waimea KTA where utilization increased approximately 40% to 80%.