Affordable EVs Are Here!

Written By Noel Morin

Ford just announced its new electric pickup, the Fathom, at a starting price of $28,350. It complements the Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf that are already on lots today, both under $32,000. These EVs offer Hawaii drivers the opportunity to save, despite volatile and high gas prices.

What you can buy right now

The Chevrolet Bolt is back, and it's the cheapest new EV on the market today at $28,995 (MSRP). It offers 262 miles of EPA-estimated range and can now plug straight into Tesla Superchargers with its NACS port. The Nissan LEAF starts at $31,535. This compact SUV has 303 miles of range, more than enough for Hawaii's really short driving distances.

These models offer affordable pricing, even without tax credits.

Coming - a new 'smaller kine' Ford pickup truck

Ford announced its new electric pickup this week, and it's aimed squarely at the same buyer as the Bolt and Leaf. The Fathom starts at $28,350 ($29,945 with destination and delivery), making it the cheapest EV pickup Ford has ever offered, and one of the cheapest new EVs in America on a base-MSRP basis. On an apples-to-apples "price with destination" comparison, the Bolt is still the cheapest EV you can drive off a lot today; the Fathom is the cheapest one that's been announced.

The Fathom is a truck worth waiting for. Ford hasn't revealed full specs and range. Expect preorders in early 2027 and deliveries later that year. The truck can seat five. It includes bidirectional power capability that can back up a home during an outage.

The math works, even in Hawaii.

Hawaii's electricity isn't cheap - the average Oahu residential rate is about 47.5 cents per kWh, among the highest in the country. Despite this, the fuel savings for the Bolt hold. The Bolt's efficiency comes out to about 28 kWh per 100 miles, which puts the cost to drive it on Oahu at roughly 13.3 cents per mile. A 30-mpg gas SUV runs about 10 cents per mile at Oʻahu's current average gas price of $5.39 a gallon. That's a 26% savings per mile. It's a smaller gap than what mainland EV owners see, where cheap electricity can cut fuel costs by 60% or more, but it's still a savings. (For those with rooftop solar, there are even greater savings.)

Consider EV maintenance, and the savings improve. Maintenance costs run roughly 40% lower for EVs than gas cars, according to Consumer Reports and Argonne National Laboratory data, and that adds up over years of ownership.

New EVs like the Bolt and LEAF are available today and are affordably priced without tax-credit help. The Fathom pickup truck signals that a major automaker thinks a sub-$30,000 EV can work at scale. Even greater value can be found in pre-owned EVs, which will increase in inventory with lease returns and trades.

In Hawaii, where gas prices lead the nation and electricity rates are among the highest, the math still favors going electric.

Weighing your first EV and have questions about ownership and charging? Ask us! The Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association is happy to answer your questions.

Sources:

Noel Morin
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