Home Charging

For most electric vehicle owners, a home charging station will address most car ‘fueling’ needs. With a home station, keeping an electric car charged is a series of ‘topping off’ events, similar to what one does with their mobile devices – plug in the car when you get home and unplug when you’re ready to use it again. It becomes a habit in no time, and it beats making stops at a gas station.

Your electric vehicle should have mobile charging equipment that will allow you to plug into a household 110 or 240-volt outlet. It is portable so that you can take it with you. If your situation permits, we recommend installing a 40 AMP 240V outlet by a licensed electrician. This is similar to what electric clothes dryers use. This will allow you to charge your EV much faster than a 110v outlet. (Refer to your EV’s manual for specific requirements).

If you would like a more ‘permanent’ charging station, you can install one of several Level 2 (240v) chargers. These are installed close to where you park your EV. This may require electrical wiring work and the service of a licensed electrician. A charging station will allow convenient charging – just unwind the charging cable and plug it into your EV! Some stations are also networked, so you can monitor and control charging through your mobile app.

Public Charging…

Of course, some drivers may need to rely on public charging, so it’s good to understand where these stations are located and what’s required to use them. There are several public charging stations across the island and more are constantly being added and upgraded. These chargers include ‘Level 2’ (240v charging stations) and ‘Level 3’ (DC Fast Chargers).

Some of these stations are free to use. For example, Target offers free charging for the first two hours, enough for you to get a boost while you shop.

Fast Charging…

For the fastest charging rate, there are several Level 3/ DC Fast Chargers available—a session at one of these stations can save you hours of waiting! These stations can be used by most electric cars (they need to be DC Fast Charging enabled). They are strategically placed around our island and allow for fast charging. They are operated by OpConnect.

Tesla vehicles require an optional CCS adapter to use the Fast Chargers. This can be purchased on the Tesla website.

Where are the Big Island stations? 

The best way to identify them is through Plugshare.com, which also has a convenient mobile app. The following is the Plugshare interface. Enter ‘Big Island, Hawaii’ or a zipcode to find all the stations.

Related Articles:

• Where to buy a Level 2 Charger – Online stores and marketplaces that offer charging stations for your home or business.
• Charging your Tesla – This page includes information on charging that is applicable to Tesla.