While electric vehicles are becoming less attractive to own in Hawaii, availability isn’t expected to decline due to a recent pause by one company bringing new EVs into the state by ship.

The Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association anticipates no negative supply impacts on new EVs locally from a decision in July by Matson Inc. to temporarily cease transporting EVs on its fleet of ocean cargo vessels.

Matson, the largest ocean cargo transportation firm serving the state, on July 14 notified customers that it immediately would no longer carry new or used EVs or plug-in hybrid vehicles on its ships due to “increasing concern” for the safety of transporting vehicles powered by large lithium-ion batteries.

The Honolulu-based company, which transported 30,400 automobiles last year in trade lane

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