EV Charging Help

State guide

Hawaii

HI7 / 10Adoption

Hawaii has one of the highest EV adoption rates in the US and strong commercial incentives. Hawaiian Electric's Charge Up Commercial program covers 100% of installation costs. Hawaii Energy offers rebates up to $35,000 per DCFC. High electricity costs make off-peak charging rates important.

Last updated June 2026

Hawaii EV adoptionAdoption 7 / 10

EV Charging Snapshot

Strong
EV Adoption Rate
12.0%
Public Chargers
3,000
Top Incentive
Hawaiian Electric Charge Up Commercial, 100% of installation cost
Recent regulatory activity
Adoption score
7/10

What applies to your address?

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EV adoption snapshot

EVs registered in Hawaii

30,200

2024 data · U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center

01

Incentives and rebates

Amounts shift as funding rounds open and close. Confirm the live program page before you apply.

Residential programs
Residential EV incentive programs in Hawaii
ProgramAmountWho qualifiesApply
Hawaiian Electric Smart Charge Hawaii$150 incentive for connecting eligible EV to the Smart Charge platformHawaiian Electric residential customers with qualifying EVs who enroll in Smart Charge Hawaii demand responseLearn more ↗
KIUC Residential Level 2 Charger RebateUp to $500 bill creditKauai Island Utility Cooperative residential members installing a qualifying Level 2 EV chargerLearn more ↗
Federal EV Charger Tax Credit (30C)Ended June 30, 2026 (no longer available)The federal 30C charger credit ended June 30, 2026. It previously covered residential charging equipment placed in service in an eligible census tract; property placed in service after that date cannot claim it.Learn more ↗
Commercial and property-owner programs
Commercial EV incentive programs in Hawaii
ProgramAmountWho qualifiesApply
Hawaiian Electric Charge Up Commercial100% of installation cost covered for eligible commercial and multifamily propertiesBusinesses, multifamily properties, office buildings, and fleet depots in Hawaiian Electric service territoryLearn more ↗
Hawaii Energy DCFC RebateUp to $35,000 per DC fast chargerCommercial entities installing publicly accessible DC fast chargers in Hawaii; awaiting additional state funding as of 2025Learn more ↗
Hawaii Energy Level 2 Commercial RebateUp to $4,500 per Level 2 charging stationCommercial entities installing publicly accessible Level 2 chargers; note: individual single-user installations not eligibleLearn more ↗
NEVI Formula ProgramUp to 80% of project costsEV charging along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors in HawaiiLearn more ↗
02

Time-of-use rates

Peak windows and prices are set by each utility and change at rate cases.

Residential EV time-of-usestatewide
Availability
statewide
Summary
Hawaiian Electric, which serves Oahu, Maui County, and Hawaii Island, offers residential time-of-use rates available to EV customers. Current TOU windows are off-peak 10pm to 9am, mid-day 9am to 5pm (when rooftop solar production peaks), and on-peak 5pm to 10pm. The prior EV-only TOU-RI rate is closed to new enrollments but legacy customers can stay on it.
Source
SourceVerified Jun 2026
03

Net metering and solar export

Matters if you pair rooftop solar with home charging.

Net metering / solar + EVnet billing
Status
net billing
Summary
Hawaii closed traditional net metering in October 2015, the first state to do so. Replacement programs include Customer Self-Supply (no exports allowed) and Customer Grid-Supply Plus, which credits exports at fixed values around $0.10 to $0.12 per kWh against residential rates near $0.38 per kWh. As of 2026, new interconnections are moving to the Smart DER Export tariff with utility-controllable export windows.
Source
SourceVerified Jun 2026
04

Right to charge

Whether an HOA or landlord can block a home charger install.

Statutory protectionStatute on the books
Statute
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 196-7.5
Applies to
single family hoa, condo
What it does
Hawaii bars any covenant, declaration, or bylaw from preventing installation of an EV charging system on or near the parking stall of a multi-family residential building or townhouse the resident owns. Associations may adopt reasonable placement and use rules but cannot prohibit installation outright. No association may charge a fee for placement of the system, though it may require reimbursement for electricity used. Hawaii's protection extends to common-element parking, not just limited common elements.
Source
SourceVerified Jun 2026
05

Registration and EV fees

The annual surcharge that replaces gas-tax revenue.

Annual fees
Hawaii EV and PHEV registration fees
Vehicle typeAnnual fee
Battery electric (EV)$50/year
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)None
Hawaii's Road Usage Charge (HiRUC) program launched July 1, 2025 under SB 1534 (Act 222, 2023). EV owners choose between a per-mile RUC of $0.008/mile (capped at $50) or the flat $50 annual EV surcharge. By 2028 the per-mile RUC becomes mandatory for EVs.
SourceVerified Jun 2026
Utilities

Utilities serving Hawaii

Your EV rate, rebates, and make-ready programs depend on who serves your address.

Utility coverage for Hawaii is being expanded. Major utility pages will appear here as they ship.

Network

Public charging network

Tesla Supercharger, ChargePoint, Blink, and EVgo are active. Oahu has the highest charger density. Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island have growing coverage. Hawaii's island geography makes island-level range management critical: running out of charge is not an option. All travel is eventually circular.

Station-network counts for Hawaii will appear here once the next AFDC ingest runs.

Context

Regulatory environment

Hawaii has aggressive clean energy mandates: 100% renewable electricity by 2045 and a goal to achieve 100% ZEV passenger vehicle registrations by 2035. The Clean Ground Transportation Act increased the vehicle weight fee for heavy gas and diesel vehicles. Hawaiian Electric's EV programs are regulated by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.

Free guide

The Home EV Charging Guide

Everything a homeowner needs to go from curious to charging. Chargers, installation, costs, and the credits that pay for it. No sales pitch.

  • Do you actually need Level 2?
  • What installation really involves
  • Costs, credits, and incentives
  • Your install-day checklist
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Free guide

The Commercial Charging Playbook

A property owner's guide to deploying EV charging that pays for itself. Planning, utility coordination, funding, and the real business case. No vendor spin.

  • Should your property offer charging?
  • Planning and the deployment process
  • Funding: NEVI, CFI, and state and utility programs
  • ROI and the business case
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