Trump administration has decided to halt a federal program that provides $5 billion in funding for installing EV (electric vehicle) chargers across the US. A memo from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) instructs state transportation officials to pause their EV charging projects that were previously approved under the Biden administration. Clearly, the decision could disrupt state-level plans that were already in motion but had not yet spent the allocated funds.
Notably, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program was created as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was passed by Congress under former President Joe Biden. The goal of the program is to expand and improve the EV charging network across the US, particularly in areas where charging options are limited. Under this program, high-speed chargers were to be installed 50 miles apart along major highways nationwide.
“The new leadership of the Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) has decided to review the policies underlying the implementation of the NEVI Formula Program,” the memo reads.
Since the Trump administration has paused the EV charging program, any projects that haven’t been completed will likely remain unfinished indefinitely unless new guidance is issued. But, if states owe money to contractors for work that is currently in progress, the federal government will still cover those costs.
This suspension will remain in effect until new guidance is issued, which suggests that the program’s rules, funding allocations, or priorities might change under the new administration. However, if this decision holds, it could significantly slow down the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, which is crucial for supporting widespread EV adoption.
US President Donald Trump is moving aggressively to roll back Biden-era policies that encouraged electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Earlier, Trump revoked Biden’s 2021 executive order, which aimed for 50% of new vehicle sales to be electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030 and is reviewing regulations pushing automakers toward EVs. He also plans to end California’s EPA waiver, blocking state-led gas car phaseouts by 2035.
In the meantime, as for Elon Musk (the vocal supporter of President Trump), while Tesla has benefited from government grants (like the $31 million from the NEVI program), this rollback doesn’t affect contracts that have already been signed.
Speaking of stats, according to a PwC analysis, the total number of charging points in the country is estimated to reach 35 million by 2030. At the same time, the total number of electric vehicles is projected to reach 27 million by 2030 and 92 million by 2040.
