HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Oahu electric vehicle drivers will be getting a new charging option with the help of federal money.
On Monday, the Hawaii Department of Transportation announced the construction of the second electric vehicle charging station under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program.
Crews broke ground on the new $2.5 million station at Aloha Tower fronting Pier 7. The parking lot fronting the pier will be closed until November when the project is expected to be complete.
The four 150-kilowatt direct current chargers will be the first NEVI-funded charging station on Oahu. The first station opened earlier this year at the Kahului Park & Ride on Maui.
Officials said the Kahului charging station has "more than 5,000 charging sessions, which translates to a reduction of nearly 30,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted into the atmosphere."
The Aloha Tower chargers will cost $0.44 per kWh from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and $0.57 per kWh from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m.
These stations will join our national EV charging network to bring more charging stations to communities all along America’s highways, create well-paid jobs in every community, and make EV charging as easy and convenient as filling up a gas tank.
Shailen Bhatt, Federal Highway Administrator
The program hopes to encourage more drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build on alternative fuel options.
For more information on the program, visit the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation's website.