Trump administration restarts delayed EV charger funding program after court setbacks
The Trump administration has resumed a $5 billion federal program to expand electric vehicle charging after legal pressure forced a rollback of its earlier freeze.
Jeff St. John reports for Canary Media.
In short:
- States have 30 days to reapply for National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funds under new Trump administration guidance, which removes Biden-era equity requirements and streamlines some regulatory processes.
- Environmental and advocacy groups accuse the administration of illegally delaying disbursal of funds already approved by Congress, and litigation from 20 states and D.C. is ongoing to unfreeze the rest of the money.
- Fewer than 400 NEVI fast chargers have been installed nationwide despite the program’s $5 billion budget, with critics warning that changes may weaken efforts to reach underserved and rural areas.
Key quote:
“It’s ironic that this guidance was sold as cutting red tape, yet all it has accomplished is more than half a year of needless delay.”
— Katherine García, director of Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign
Why this matters:
Reliable EV charging is key to shifting drivers away from fossil fuels, reducing both air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The NEVI program was created to help fill major charging gaps, especially along highways and in rural and low-income communities where private companies see little profit incentive. Delays in deploying chargers slow down the country’s transition to cleaner transportation and risk deepening the divide between urban areas and communities already facing environmental burdens. A patchwork approach — where states have full discretion without federal equity standards — may further disadvantage areas that need public investment most to make EVs viable.
Read more: Trump administration must release EV charger funds, judge rules in federal lawsuit
