National EV Association Names Rep. Nicole Lowen 2026 Legislative Ambassador of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2026
Contact: Noel Morin, noel@hawaiieva.org (808) 987-7428
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National EV Association Names Rep. Nicole Lowen 2026 Legislative Ambassador of the Year. Hawaiʻi Island lawmaker recognized for authoring more EV-enabling state laws than any other member of the Hawaiʻi Legislature
HONOLULU — Hawaiʻi's electric vehicle charging rebate program pays up to $4,500 for a new Level 2 charger and up to $35,000 for a new DC fast charger. Representative Nicole Lowen (D-7, Kailua-Kona) wrote the 2019 bill that created it. On May 27, the national Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) announced its EVA Annual Award Winners. Lowen was named the 2026 Legislative Ambassador of the Year. EVA announcement: myeva.org/blog/announcing-the-2026-eva-annual-awards.
The award recognizes a public official who has successfully championed EV-friendly policy at the local, state, or federal level. It honors work completed in 2025, a year of federal rollbacks on 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."
"Nicole supported EV legislation in Hawaiʻi for nearly a decade," said Noel Morin, President of the Hawaii EV Association, the EVA chapter that nominated Lowen. "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."
Lowen's record:
Lowen frames EV policy around state cost savings, equity for renters and lower-income drivers, and reduced dependence on imported oil.
In 2019, Lowen authored Act 142, which created the multi-user EV charging system rebate program now administered by the Hawaiʻi Energy. These rebates run up to $4,500 per new Level 2 charger and up to $35,000 per new DC fast charger.
In 2021, she authored two of the three EV-related Acts signed by Governor Ige at a single ceremony that June. Act 74, which set Hawaiʻi on a path to a fully zero-emission state light-duty vehicle fleet by December 31, 2035, and mandated that new state passenger car purchases had to be zero-emission starting January 1, 2022. Act 75 established a dedicated 3 cents of the state barrel tax to fund the EV charging system rebate program, established penalties for non-EVs parked in charging stalls, and required new charging systems installed under state requirements to be at least Level 2 and network-capable.
In the 2025 session, Lowen introduced HB346, a bill that would have provided rebates of up to $1,750 per EV-ready parking stall in new affordable housing construction. She also introduced HB344, which required 25% of parking stalls in new state building construction to be EV charger-ready. She co-sponsored HB242, which Governor Josh Green signed into law as Act 209 on June 25, 2025. This established the EV Battery Recycling and Reuse Working Group within the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office.
Hawaiʻi crossed 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.
About the Hawaii EV Association
The Hawaii EV Association is the leading nonprofit advocate for electric vehicle adoption in Hawaiʻi. As the local chapter of the national Electric Vehicle Association, Hawaii EV works across all islands to accelerate EV adoption through education, community events, and policy advocacy. Its affiliated island groups include Big Island EV, Maui Nui EV, Kauai EV, Oahu EV, and Tesla Hawaii Club. Learn more at hawaiiev.org.
About the Electric Vehicle Association
The Electric Vehicle Association is North America's leading nonprofit accelerating EV adoption. EVA supports 80 chapters and thousands of members across the United States and Canada. Learn more at myeva.org.
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