Why Hawaii is becoming a leader in U.S. EV adoption

U.S. consumers are switching to all-electric vehicles more slowly than many expected, but Hawaii is a growing leader in EV adoption.

The tropical island nation ranks fifth in overall EV adoption this year, accounting for 11.9% of new retail vehicles sold in February, according to JD Power.

Hawaii also ranks third behind California (46.1) and Washington state (37) in JD Power’s “Electric Vehicle Adoption Score,” which is weighted based on conditions such as market, consumer preference and electric vehicle availability. is 33.8.

“We measure adoption based on availability, which means shoppers need to get an electric vehicle that meets their needs … before they can consider adoption,” said Elizabeth Krear, vice president of electric vehicles at JD Power. “In California, there are more electric vehicles than Hawaii is much higher. But when consumers have a viable option, 33 percent choose to buy an electric vehicle.”

Hawaii is also the state with the largest adoption of electric vehicles, but has not yet agreed to the California Air Resources Board’s request Zero Emission Vehicle InitiativeAccording to JD Power. The rules promote the development of electric vehicles and include stricter vehicle emissions and miles-per-gallon standards for conventional vehicles wherever the measure is adopted, including the other top five states: California, Washington, Oregon and Colorado.

What’s happening in Hawaii that’s causing more consumers to choose electric vehicles? Ivan Drury said this was the result of a combination of factors, but mainly high fuel costs, the availability of renewable energy for charging and culture, Insights Director Automotive research company Edmunds is based in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii.

“There’s a greater sense of responsibility for stewarding the land than in most mainland states. If you look up ‘Aina’ in Hawaiian, you’ll see what I mean, there’s a lot of pride in the land,” he said.

Drewry also said that the popularity of hybrid models in the state (19% in 2023) will help the switch to electric vehicles, while the road trip issue (a barrier for some buyers in the United States) is not really a problem in Hawaii. question.

“We’re on an island. No one is really worried about road trips unless they live on a big island,” he said. (For reference, the “Hawaiian Belt” surrounding the Big Island, or Hawaiian Island, is only about 260 miles.)

Gas prices are also a factor, as they are in other states like California. The average price of a gallon of gasoline in Hawaii is approximately $4.72. According to AAA. This is the highest price in the United States outside of California, and is $1.10 higher than the national average of $3.62 per gallon.

JD Power reports that the best-selling electric vehicle in the state is Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3 and Ford F-150 Lightning.

“I’m really happy. I love the car. I love not buying gas,” said Scott Sageman, a 2021 Tesla Model 3 owner who moved to Hawaii from California in 2020 He has lived on the Big Island of Hawaii since then.

Russell Wong, regional vice president of Aloha Kia’s seven Hawaii stores, said customer interest in electric vehicles continues to grow, but electric vehicles still account for only about 2% of store sales.

“While it’s a large portion of our current sales compared to other dealers or other markets, it’s still a very, very small percentage,” he said. “We do see that continuing to climb.”

Wong said there is a lot of interest in Kia’s new EV9 SUV, which has just arrived at dealerships. The best-selling electric car at Kia dealerships right now is the Niro, which is also Kia’s cheapest all-electric car, with the Aloha Kia starting at about $36,000.

A Gallup poll Less than half of U.S. adults (44%) say they are “seriously considering or possibly considering” buying an electric vehicle, down from 55% in 2023, according to a survey released on Monday. The proportion not planning to buy an electric car has increased from 41% to 48%.

Suchman, who lives on the slopes of a volcano, said he has had no problems charging like he would at home, but his Model 3’s estimated range may be lower than expected due to the state’s hilly terrain. .

“One thing I noticed is that you don’t pay too much attention to the range of the estimate,” he said. “If you’re driving uphill a lot, you’re not going to get the same money.”

Average cost for consumers to purchase electric vehicles from franchised dealers (excluding Tesla, Rivian According to statistics, sales in Hawaii this year exceeded $62,600 Edmonds. That’s down from more than $68,500 last year and about $12,700 more than the average car price in Hawaii.

High prices are a trend across the country and in Hawaii. A Gallup report shows that higher-income Americans across the country are the group most likely to own electric vehicles, with this proportion rising from 6% last year to 14%.

“We’re kind of on the extreme end of the adoption spectrum,” Drury said. “For those who can take advantage of electric cars, it will work and be sold. For those who can’t take advantage of electric cars, it won’t work for a long time. Overcome the infrastructure and high Cost of living barriers are not easy.” Some things can be solved overnight or even within a few years. “