Rep. Nicole Lowen - EVA Legislative Ambassador of the Year

On May 27, the national Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) announced its EVA Annual Award Winners. Representative Nicole Lowen was named the 2026 Legislative Ambassador of the Year.

The award recognizes a public official who has championed EV-friendly policy at the local, state, or federal level successfully. It honors work completed in 2025, a year marked by federal rollbacks of EV tax credits and HOV access.

Lowen chairs the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection. Every major EV bill in the Hawaiʻi House since 2019 has gone through her committee.

"I am truly honored and grateful to have been selected for the Legislative Ambassador of the Year award from EVA," said Rep. Lowen. "It is deeply meaningful to me because it reflects years of collaborative work to accelerate Hawaiʻi's transition to clean transportation. I'm especially proud to have passed legislation to establish Hawaiʻi's EV charging station rebate program and to advance the state fleet transition to zero-emission vehicles — policies that move us toward greater energy independence, lower transportation costs, and a healthier future for our communities. This recognition reinforces the importance of continuing to invest in EV infrastructure and policies that make clean transportation accessible to all."

Rep. Lowen supported EV legislation in Hawaiʻi for nearly a decade. She established the rebate program and its funding mechanism. She wrote Hawaii's state fleet mandate. She's supported Hawaii EV's webinars and engaged with us on policy opportunities.

Hawaiʻi had over 41,800 registered EVs in April 2026, up from 19,200 in April 2022. That growth rests on programs enabled by policies that Lowen supported.

Congratulations to Rep. Lowen for this national recognition of her tireless work to enable a more sustainable Hawaiʻi .

Source: Electric Vehicle Association