In observance of Discoverers' Day, our offices will be closed on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026.
Electric Garage Talk: Sam Wiener — EV Enthusiast
When Sam Wiener moved to Oahu in 2024, he made more than just a change in scenery. He also made the switch to his first electric vehicle, a 2015 BMW i3. Drawn by the lower maintenance costs, environmental benefits, and practical fit for island driving, Sam quickly embraced EV ownership. While public charging can sometimes be a challenge, he says the savings, convenience of one-pedal driving, and overall driving experience make it well worth it. As a law student at the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH Manoa, Sam brings a unique perspective on EV driving as a college student.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): It’s nice to meet you Sam and thank you for taking the time to share your story with us. So, can you tell me about how you first learned how to drive and the story behind your first car?
Sam: I first learned to drive back in 2010 in Virginia. It was a Dodge Durango SUV automatic. I also learned how to drive stick around the same time as well.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Did you make the switch to an EV recently?
Sam: Yes I did. I purchased my EV around July of 2024, right around the time I moved to Oahu which was May of that same year. I bought the EV a few months after I moved.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): And this was your first EV?
Sam: Yes.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Well, congratulations on making the switch! What EV did you end up getting and what was your motivation to make the switch?
Sam: I got a 2015 BMW i3. A lot of my motivation was from making the shift from non-renewable energy to something cleaner for the environment, as well as cost and maintenance of the vehicle. Before I decided to go to law school, I got my undergrad in aircraft aerospace engineering. So, I’ve always worked on my own vehicles, did all the oil changes or upgrades, big fixes or anything like that. I found that the general yearly maintenance costs of an EV are substantially lower than internal combustion engines. So that was a big factor as well. And then the island, just in general, you don’t need to go hundreds of miles. So, having a car that gets me about 75 to 80 miles of range on a charge is kind of perfect for my situation. Living in town, working in town, and going to school in town. I rarely drive long distances. But when I do go out to Ewa or something, I just check for the fast chargers on that side before I head back to town.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Sounds perfect. And in one word, how has your overall EV driving experience been these past two years?
Sam: One word…that’s difficult. It’s frustrating sometimes, but also very convenient. It’s rewarding at times like with gas price fluctuations, I don’t have to think about that. With charging, and my car having a small battery, I’m looking anywhere between 40 to 70 cents per kilowatt hour. So, with my small battery, I’m looking around $3 to $10 per charge depending on where I choose to fill up. But it can be very frustrating in the sense that there are very few chargers compared to gas stations. Living in a condo, I can’t charge at home and it can be a constant battle to find chargers. The other day, I went to Aloha Tower to use the fast chargers there, and I waited two hours for one to open up since there was a line. I couldn’t go anywhere else because I was really low on battery. So, I waited two hours to charge up my car which only took 30 minutes.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): That’s frustrating. You’re talking about the NEVI chargers at Aloha Tower?
Sam: Yes, those are my go-tos when they’re operational. I work on Bishop so it’s convenient for me. When I’m at home, I use the one at Waikiki Library.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Oh, you mean our Hawaiian Electric DC charger?
Sam: Yes, exactly. Those are my favorite!
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Awesome! Yeah, that’s a popular one.
Sam: It’s my favorite because I feel like the charge lasts longer when I bring my charge to 100%. Like when you watch the rate of charge, it’s a more steady charge versus the ones at Aloha Tower. The NEVI Chargers start at a very high kilowattage, and then it drops and fluctuates back and forth. But with the slower and steadier charge of the Hawaiian Electric charger, my car seems to like it better. I get a little more range and I can tell the air conditioner works better.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): I see. That’s good to know, I’m glad you like our chargers!
Sam: I just wish there were more of them!
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Yes! We’re working on it. So, tell me, what do you enjoy most about driving your EV?
Sam: I like the one pedal driving style, especially for city driving. I rarely get on the H1, so it’s really convenient for the slow moving start, and stop-and-go traffic. And really, the cost has been the best thing. The cost of ownership is incredibly low compared to my last couple vehicles.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Besides the charging, have you encountered any other challenges or surprises since making the switch?
Sam: The yearly registration charges. Seeing that little extra EV fee on there, which I get. We don’t pay gas tax so I get it, and I’m in agreement with it. But seeing it on the bill, it does take a big hit.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Can you tell me about how much it is?
Sam: My yearly registration is around $400 and I think a good chunk of it is the EV tax.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Ah yes, welcome to Hawaii.
Sam: Yes. I’ve had family here for a while so I was prepared for it.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Where did you move from?
Sam: I moved from New Mexico which is where I finished my undergrad so I was there for a year. But before that I lived in Florida for 15 years.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Gotcha. Okay. Now, let’s talk a little more about charging again. You said you live in a condo. So, you rely heavily on public chargers?
Sam: Yes. There’s some level one charging in my garage that I could use in case of emergency. But we’re not metered for it. So, the association is fine with us using it here and there if we need like five percent charge to get to another charger kind of thing, but no regular charging. I’ll end up blocking other people so they don’t really like us using those outlets.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Right, makes sense. And you’ve mentioned the cost of charging your EV compared to your previous ICE vehicles. How much do you spend on average?
Sam: Oh gosh, maybe $7 a week because I have a small battery. I only get about 70 to 80 miles per charge so I charge about once or twice a week depending on what I have going on. I live only about four miles from where I work so it’s less than 10 miles a day.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Got it. And how has your experience been using our DC fast chargers in regard to availability, ease of use, and reliability?
Sam: I think the ease of use and reliability they’re probably the best on the island in my experience. With the Waikiki Library charger, I can typically be at home and then see it on the app if it’s available and then jet over there real quick. And then you guys also publish your prices and have it right there on the charger. Other chargers are super ambiguous and you don’t really know how much you’re going to pay until you get the receipt emailed or texted to you.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): What other problems have you experienced with non-Hawaiian Electric chargers?
Sam: It’s definitely more frustrating. Sometimes the apps don’t work, especially the ones at Ala Moana. It seems like they keep changing management groups constantly over the last couple years. I’ve had to switch between three different apps and it becomes a crapshoot with the others compared to the Hawaiian Electric chargers. I haven’t gotten to experience the Tesla chargers since my car is too old.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): With your EV being an older model, have you experienced any maintenance issues?
Sam: When I first purchased the vehicle, I was getting some error code things. I took it to BMW and there was some technical service bulletin on a certain part which turned out to be a $10,000 fix, but it was completely covered under the warranty.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Oh, very nice!
Sam: I only paid around $300 for diagnostics and that’s it. So, basically no additional costs whatsoever besides the usual stuff like changing the cabin air filter once or changing the windshield wipers and filling the fluid. That’s pretty much it. The brakes were replaced when I bought it so they’re really good. With the one pedal driving, they’re hardly used because it’s braking on the electric motor itself.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): That’s great. Are there any features of your EV you find most useful or innovative? Any apps or tools you use to improve your EV driving experience?
Sam: I mean, besides the one pedal driving, I kind of appreciate the simplicity of my car as the older model. There’s the onboard navigation which is useful to route my trips and it shows chargers along the way. For apps, I use OpConnect, ChargePoint, EV Connect, and PlugShare.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Nice. So, you’ve talked about your motivation in getting an EV was largely due to environmental factors. What are your thoughts about that and the environmental impact of driving an EV compared to a traditional gasoline vehicle?
Sam: I mean, I think that it’s the step we need to take progression-wise. I know there’s a lot of environmental impacts with building the batteries and producing the EVs in general. But with the lifespan of the vehicle over 15 to 20 years, it’s still substantially better for the environment than internal combustion engines. And with personal environmental factors of not having your hand smell like gas after you fill up or spilling oil with oil changes, the various chemical, transmission fluid, all that stuff that kind of comes in and out of vehicles that needs to be disposed of in some way that isn’t there when it comes to EVs. So, I’ll be an EV owner probably forever now.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Yeah, those are good points. And in just your two years of driving your EV, would you recommend an EV to your friends and family?
Sam: Yes, definitely.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): And do you have any tip or advice for someone who is considering getting an EV?
Sam: The biggest one is definitely charger access and if you’re able to charge where you live. Then it’s kind of a no-brainer to go for an EV in my mind. It’s definitely a bigger consideration if you don’t have access to steady charging, but I still think the pros outweigh the cons, even with the lack of charging infrastructure that we have here so far.
Jennifer (Hawaiian Electric): Yeah, for sure. Well, thank you again for taking the time to speak to us about your EV driving experience!
Sam: Yeah, of course.
Here are some useful resources that shows all 348 public charging stations across Hawaii and HDOT’s Energy Security and Waste Reduction Plan:
About the Author: Jennifer Ecklund
