Trump Administration Relents on Federal EV Charging Funding
While the program is back on, there are big changes to the requirements and limitations.
Good news for EV owners: after months of uncertainty around the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, the Trump administration on Monday announced it would reopen, with $5 billion in funding made available for states to expand their charging networks.
When the administration rescinded the program guidance shortly after Trump took office, it made it impossible for new projects to kick off, effectively freezing the whole program. Over a dozen states sued the federal government over this, claiming it was illegal; in June, a judge sided with the states and ordered the government to unfreeze the funds. At the time, it seemed likely the feds would appeal, but now we see that's not how it played out.
For its part, the Department of Transportation is framing the program restart as one that slashes "red tape" and should, in theory, make it easier for states to access the funds and build out the infrastructure. The DOT has removed many of the previous requirements for issues like consumer protections, environmental impact, and extreme weather resiliency. The previous guidance also required states to build chargers no further than 50 miles apart on major highways before the routes could be considered built out; now, there is no distance requirement.
Electric vehicles may be facing an uphill battle in North America, but the return of NEVI is still a net positive, as it addresses one of the most common pinch points for EVs. Even before the program restarted, charging stations have been popping up at an accelerated rate: as InsideEVs reports, charger deployment is up 20 percent year-over-year, and the US should be on-track for 100,000 ports by 2027. Almost two-thirds of stations deployed in the second quarter were capable of 250 kW speeds or higher, as well.
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Kyle began his automotive obsession before he even started school, courtesy of a remote control Porsche and various LEGO sets. He later studied advertising and graphic design at Humber College, which led him to writing about cars (both real and digital). He is now a proud member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), where he was the Journalist of the Year runner-up for 2021.
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Every federal judge appointed by Biden or Obama or Clinton needs to be removed from the bench immediately for usurping power. I am damn tired of the judicial running my country, even after the SCOTUS ruled their actions to be illegal. Trump should do exactly what Obama and Biden would do. Proceed with their rulings and intentions and forget whatever the judges rule.