Hawaii’s Electric Vehicle Boom Exposes Infrastructure Failure: Where Are the Chargers?

Hawaii is witnessing a remarkable surge in electric vehicle (EV) use, fueled by soaring gas prices and increasing environmental awareness. But as hardworking drivers like Uber’s Rosie Ramirez discover firsthand, the state’s charging network is struggling to keep pace with this growing demand, underscoring a crucial gap driven by bureaucratic delays and mismanagement. Ramirez’s 2023 Chevy Bolt can technically cover roughly 260 miles on a full charge—a decent range for an island like Oahu. Yet when ferrying passengers around, her miles evaporate quickly, forcing her to hunt down scarce public chargers. The frustration of waiting 45 minutes for a single...