Aloha,

Some of our members have experienced issues with the credit card readers on the Fast Chargers. The latest report was for the KTA Waimea station. The Hilo station has had similar issues.  HELCO responds to failure reports and eventually gets these problems addressed but the issue seems to be recurring.

There are more convenient ways to use these fast chargers and other public stations.

One way is to use the mobile app for the respective charging station operator. (HELCO uses Greenlots.) You’ll have to set up an account on Greenlots after downloading the app. This will allow you to pay upfront for a credit that can be accessed when you use a station.

You’re also able to put a payment card on file so that you can automatically add to your balance.

Here’s the Electric Car folder on my iPhone. I’ve got apps for stations that I might use readily available so I can check ahead for the status of a charging station and, of course, to initiate and monitor charging.

Another way is to request an RFID card from the charger operator. The card allows you to quickly activate a station and initiate the charge. (You merely touch the card to the RFID reader on the station to initiate the process.) To obtain a card for our Fast Chargers and to set up your account (something that can also be linked to the mobile app), go to Greenlots.com. Greenlots manages all of the HELCO Fast Chargers (Hilo HELCO office, Keaau Shopping Center, Waimea KTA, Shops at Mauna Lani, and Kona HELCO office).

I recently used the Fast Charger at the Shops at Mauna Lani. This station does not have a credit card reader and can be accessed only via the Greenlots mobile app or their card. I tested out the RFID card and it worked flawlessly.

RFID cards and mobile apps are available for other commonly used stations on the island, e.g.,

• SemaConnect – a favorite station is the Costco charging station. Note that the Costco station does not show up on SemaConnect app, per Costco’s request. You must have the RFID card or deal with a very inconvenient phone call to SemaConnect to initiate the charge. The SemaConnect stations at Kaiser in Kona can be accessed with the mobile app and RFID card.
• Chargepoint – our favorite are the stations at Target where the first 2 hours are free.

If you’re an electric vehicle owner, take a moment to set up your accounts and obtain the mobile apps and RFID cars for stations that you might frequent.

–Noel