Hawaiʻi is the most oil dependent state in the United States with more than 95% of it energy supplied by imported fossil Fuel, according to the state of Hawai’i Department of Business, Economic, development and tourism (DBEDT). Ground transportation accounts for 30 percent of liquid fuel use in Hawaiʻi making Hawaiʻi’s economy highly vulnerable to fluctuation in the price of oil according to DBEDT.
As we notice our gas prices have been steadly going up every week. At the First Hawaiian International Automotive Show car manufactures were show casing cars hybrid cars, electric and gasoline powered cars that can make will make you be happy because you will fill your gas tank less often.
The auto show, highlighted 14 cars that get 40 or more miles per gallon. Imagine how going to the gas station less every month and paying $50-60 dollars for gas. Some of these vehicles include: Chevy Cruze 42 mpg highway, Honda Insight 44, Hyundai Elantra 40, Toyota Prius 48 mpg.
If that was not good enough for you they also featured seven additional vehicles that are equivalent of 94 or more mpg using the federal mileage gas equivalence compassion standards. These cars include Chevrolet Volt 94 mpg (equivalence), the plug in Toyota Prius, 95 mpg, Mitsubishi I-MiEV 112 mpg, Tels Roadster 119mpg, Ford Foucs BEV 100mpg, the Wheego customer reported 100mpg and the Nissan Leaf 99 mpg.
These cars are all electric powered, you might be thinking wow this is great. No more expensive gas to buy and fill up anymore. But then you realized, I have to charge up the car. You are in luck because there will be approximately 120 charging stations, 250 ports at 100 locations around the state by April 2012 according to DBEDT.
Many of these charging stations are in the process of installing publicly available. Here are some of locations where you can currently find this public charging station for your electric car, Kahala Mall Center and the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa lower parking campus garage.
For current up to date list go to electricvehicle.hawaii.gov to check out current charging stations for your electric vehicle.