- The Trump administration is letting federal EV charger funding flow again.
- The DOT paused the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program in February to review the policy.
- States sued the administration, and a federal judge said they were likely to win.
After holding up the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program for months, the Trump administration will allow federal funds for EV charging stations to flow again.
Shortly after Trump took office, his Department of Transportation effectively froze the program by revoking the guidance states needed to follow when submitting plans for how they intended to use the money, InsideEVs first reported. The agency said it wanted to update the program to "align with current U.S. DOT policy and priorities." Projects that were already under contract could move forward, but states couldn't award any new contracts.
A group of states sued the administration over the pause in May, claiming it was illegal. In June, a federal judge ordered that the administration unfreeze the money and said the states would likely win their case.
On Monday, however, the DOT issued new, revised guidance that gives states a path to applying for funding again. The updated interim guidance takes aim at what the administration claims to be "red tape" that hamstrung the rollout before.
"Our revised NEVI guidance slashes red tape and makes it easier for states to efficiently build out this infrastructure," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. "While I don’t agree with subsidizing green energy, we will respect Congress's will and make sure this program uses federal resources efficiently."
Among other changes, the new guidelines get rid of requirements that states address "consumer protections, emergency evacuation plans, environmental siting, resilience and terrain considerations" in their EV charger deployment plans. They also no longer say that states should engage with disadvantaged communities or describe resilience strategies for extreme weather.
Under the new framework, states can decide how far apart federally funded fast charging stations should be on their highways. Before, stations had to be placed no farther than 50 miles apart less for a travel corridor to be considered "built out." After that, states could direct NEVI funds to charging projects outside of major highways.
NEVI was a consistent punching bag for the president on the campaign trail. He criticized the Biden administration's EV charging efforts by claiming, incorrectly, that it had spent $9 billion on eight chargers. The rollout has indeed been slow going. But by now, at least 100 NEVI sites have gone up, and only a small fraction of the funds has been spent down.
Despite the Trump administration's attacks on EV policy, much of the charging industry has thrived in 2025. The U.S. is on track for record fast-charger deployments in 2025, and big names like Electrify America say they aren't slowing down.
Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
