Hawaiian Electric unveils new look for its EV fast chargers as work continues to enhance charging equipment reliability

Hawaiian Electric unveils new look for its EV fast chargers as
work continues to enhance charging equipment reliability
EVs and plug-in hybrids now account for 15% of new vehicle registrations
HONOLULU, Nov. 19, 2025 – Hawaiian Electric is giving its electric vehicle fast chargers a new
look with a company-branded vinyl wrap as it continues to focus on charging station reliability to
support Hawai‘i’s growing EV market.
The wrap, emblazoned with the Hawaiian Electric logo, was unveiled today at the company’s
Ward Avenue EV charging location. Representatives from the Public Utilities Commission
(PUC), the state Legislature, Hawai‘i Energy and Hawaiian Electric were on hand for the event,
which included an update on work being done by Hawaiian Electric to support the electrification
of transportation across its service territory. These efforts include:
• Building on a recent PUC order that removed the “pilot” designation from Hawaiian
Electric’s public EV charging program.
• Upgrading equipment at Hawaiian Electric charging locations with state-of-the-art Tritium
fast chargers to increase charging station reliability.
• Looking for opportunities to install additional fast chargers at existing Hawaiian Electric
locations where there is sufficient space and electrical capacity.
• Improving compatibility with different models of EVs by adding NACS connectors at
selected Hawaiian Electric charging stations to support the growing number of EV
models being sold with NACS ports.
“Featuring the Hawaiian Electric logo celebrates our public charging network’s evolution beyond
the pilot stage that began 12 years ago, reflecting the spirit of connection, reliability and
progress for Hawai‘i,” said Aki Marceau, Hawaiian Electric’s director of electrification of
transportation.
It is widely recognized that electrifying ground transportation will play an increasingly important
role as Hawai‘i strives to meet its decarbonization goals. Ground transportation accounts for
about 18% of total greenhouse gas emissions in Hawai‘i, according to a report from the Hawai‘i
State Energy Office.
The number of registered EVs on Hawai‘i’s roadways has increased more than 10-fold over the
past decade to nearly 40,000 today. Nearly every major automobile manufacturer now offers a
fully electric or plug-in hybrid option in their vehicle lineup. The Hawaii Automobile Dealers
Association reported that these two categories accounted for about 15% of Hawai‘i vehicle
(more)
Hawaiian Electric unveils new
look for its EV fast chargers
registrations in the third quarter of this year.
Electric vehicle charging is also becoming an increasingly significant share of Hawaiian
Electric’s load. Charging on EV rates, such as those used by electric buses, the Hawaiian
Electric public charging network, and third party-operated public charging stations exceeds 1.28
million kilowatt hours monthly. That’s equivalent to the average monthly energy consumption of
about 2,500 homes. By 2027, EV charging is forecast to become as big as Hawaiian Electric’s
third largest customer group by load.
The PUC in June issued a significant order recognizing the progress Hawaiian Electric has
made in developing its public charging program, launched as a pilot in 2013. The PUC removed
the pilot designation and raised from 25 to 50 the number of metered sites at which the
company can deploy fast chargers. Hawaiian Electric currently owns and operates 34 fast
chargers at 26 locations on four islands.
In the meantime, Hawaiian Electric is continuing to replace its first-generation fast chargers,
based on age and performance, with new Tritium RTM chargers that enhance the EV driver
experience and increase charger reliability. The Tritium RTM seals out contaminants such as
dust, salt, moisture and insects that can degrade internal components and reduce equipment
life. The chargers also feature a modular power architecture that contributes to improved uptime and allows for fast and simple repairs in the field.
Hawaiian Electric also has begun adding a new connector type to some of its chargers to
accommodate vehicles with NACS ports. It is estimated that by the end of 2025, some 70% to
80% of EV models will be sold with NACS ports, and the number is expected to grow.