U.S. 278 toward Hilton Head Island is dotted with cars of all kinds: A black Ford F-150 from Texas, an electric blue Jeep Wrangler from Georgia, a gray Suburban from New Jersey. But the highway is also filling with cars that charge, from Teslas to Nissan ARIYAs. The problem is, while drivers of gas powered cars and trucks on the island have an abundance of fuel options, those who drive non-Tesla electric vehicles do not.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy , as of June, just over 19,000 electric vehicles were registered in South Carolina, a 40% jump from the 13,500 registered in 2022 . Even though more drivers are buying electric vehicles, there is still a nationwide doubt that the U.S. will build out the necessary infrastructure to support the growing need. Last July, Pew Research Center found that 53% of Americans were not at all confident that the U.S. could do so.
The Alternative Fuels Data Center from the DOE says that across South Carolina, there are just over 600 public and private electric charging stations. According to PlugShare , a free app and website that helps EV drivers locate charging stations, there are 35 on the island. But of those stations, only ten are open to the public (meaning you do not have to be a hotel guest, a resident, or a patron to use them) and are accessible for EVs other than Teslas. And only five are completely free to use marked in red below.
Publicly-accessible non-Tesla EV charging stations on the island:
- Benny’s Coastal Kitchen (75 Shrimpers Row), Two J-1772 plugs.
- Hilton Head Recreation Center (18 Wilborn Road), One J-1772 plug.
- Starbucks (18 Pope Avenue), One J-1772 plug.
- Petsmart (430 William Hilton Pkwy), Two J-1772 plugs.
- Starbucks (416 William Hilton Pkwy), One J-1772 plug.
- Starbucks (24 Shelter Cove Lane), One J-1772 plug.
- Celebration Park, in front of the Sandbox Children’s Museum (80 Nassau Street), One J-1772 plug.
- Adventure Hilton Head, in the back parking lot (18 Simmons Road), One J-1772 plug.
- Palmetto Electric Cooperative (111 Mathews Drive), One J-1772 plug.
- Shelter Cove (1 Harbourside Lane), One J-1772 plug.
The majority of charging stations on the island, about 23, are for gated-community residents, hotel guests, or patrons only.
Tesla drivers have access to eight superchargers at Parker’s Kitchen (430 William Hilton Pkwy) and another eight behind the Harris Teeter on Office Park Road. There are also publicly-accessible chargers at Rock Fish Seafoods & Steaks and Shelter Cove Harbour. Around noon Tuesday, the Tesla charging stations at both locations were nearly desolate.
A tourist from Fort Mill, SC, said that during his many visits to Hilton Head, he has never run into problems charging up his car, especially on the southern half of the island. It only takes about ten minutes for his charge to go from 15% to 70% at the Tesla Supercharger, and in the meantime, he can stop in Harris Teeter for a quick grocery run.
However, the same cannot necessarily be said for the island’s drivers who own electric vehicles other than Teslas.. When asked about the availability of non-Tesla EV charging stations on the island, Melina Magazzu, office manager at the Hilton Head Island Recreation Center and mid-island resident, quickly responded, “there are none.” While her plug-in hybrid Jeep Wrangler sat charging in the parking lot outside of the Rec Center, Magazzu said that there are not many publicly-accessible charging stations on the island, and that many of those that are available are not free to use. Lucky for Magazzu, her car resorts to its internal combustion engine once the battery is nearly depleted.
Crystal Todaro, the Business Development Manager at Vaden Nissan Hilton Head on Fording Island Road, located about eight miles from the bridge to Hilton Head, said that EV vacationers often have to stop at the dealership to get a boost of energy just to make it onto the island. She said that situations like this take place once or twice a week, on average.
For many EV drivers, Todaro said, this is just run of the mill.
“I think they’ve become accustomed to the search,” Todaro said. “It’s one of those things that go along with being an EV owner. They get accustomed to that hunt for this plugin.” But every now and again, she said, EV drivers will express concern about how they will find an energy source once they have made it onto the island.
“I just feel bad for them,” she said.
For those coming onto the island from 278, there is a charging port in Hardeeville and numerous dealerships with charging ports, including Nissan, Buick and BMW. Just a few miles from the island, there are seven EV charging plugs located in the Tanger Outlets parking lot (four J-1772 plugs at 1414 Fording Island Road and three J-1772 plugs 1270 Fording Island Road).
The South Carolina Department of Transportation is eligible to receive $70 million over the next five years as a part of a federal program, which aims to provide a nationwide network of 500,000 EV fast chargers by 2030. The SC + EV initiative positions the state for “a future of electrified mobility through the creation of reliable and accessible statewide network of EV charging infrastructure,” per their website .
The state will receive $10.36 million in the first year, and about $15 million each year for the remaining four years. SCDOT is required to first build charging stations along highways, including routes I-85, I-77, and I-26, before prioritizing infrastructure outside of those corridors, according to their website.
Hannah Robinson, the Media Relations Manager for the SCDOT, said that once the first phase of the project is complete, and if there are funds still available, routes and locations within Beaufort County could be considered for additional charging stations. She said that as a part of the federal plan, the SCDOT will “evaluate the feasibility of providing funds from the State Highway Fund or the State General Fund,” however, at this time, no additional state funding sources have been identified.
On Hilton Head, there is only one public direct current fast charger with combined charging system connectors, located at the Circle K on Mathews Drive, says the SC + EV plan .
According to the DOE , most EV models on the market can charge using a CCS connector. However, as of Tuesday, the charging station at Circle K was out of service. PlugShare checkins reveal that the station has been out of service since around mid-May. In a response on PlugShare, the Circle K Charge Team said that their manufacturer, Freewire, discontinued its operations mid-June.
Below is a list of the mix of charging stations on private property in Hilton Head. Many of these require drivers to be guests or patrons of the establishment.
The Bank
Bluewater Resort & Marina by Spinnaker Resorts
Bayshore on Hilton Head Island
Dolphin Head Recreation Center
Marriott’s Barony Beach Club, Jasmine Garage and Bayberry Garage
Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa
21 Bradley Circle Hotel
Marriot’s Surfwatch
VacaCo 9 Ketch
VacaCo 85 Mooring Buoy
VacaCo 79 Mooring Buoy
VacaCo 12 Armada
Omni Hilton North and South lots
Sonseta Hotel
Courtyard by Marriot
Ocean Oak Resort by Hilton Grand Vacations
Marriot Grande Ocean
University of South Carolina Beaufort, Hilton Head campus
Home 2 Suites
Hilton Grand Vacations
The Inn & Club at Harbour Town
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