WASHINGTON — The U.S. Transportation Department has ended a $5 billion grant program that helps states build electric vehicle chargers.

In a memo sent to state transportation department directors Thursday, the U.S. Transportation Department said it is rescinding the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Department of Transportation ended a $5 billion grant program that helps states build electric vehicle chargers

  • In a memo sent to state transportation department directors Thursday, the DOT said it is rescinding the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021

  • The move follows the executive order President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office to unleash American energy and end the so-called EV mandate of the Biden administration

  • The Biden administraiton set a goal of 500,000 publicly available EV chargers by 2030

The move follows the executive order President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office aimed at expanding American energy production. The order called for eliminating the Biden administration’s so-called EV mandate, including subsidies that favor electric vehicles over other technologies.

Last March, the Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration issued its strongest-ever pollution standards for passenger vehicles that would have required 56% of new vehicle sales to be electric by 2032. To support their adoption, the Biden administration set a goal of building 500,000 publicly available EV chargers by 2030.

Prior to Trump taking office last month, the U.S. Transportation Department said there were more than 206,000 publicly available EV charging ports with 38,000 new public chargers turned on in 2024.

Launched in February 2022, the NEVI program was set up to provide nearly $5 billion over five years to help states create a network of EV charging stations. 

According to the most recent update from the NEVI program in November 2024, there are 126 public charging ports operating at 31 NEVI stations in nine states. A total of 41 states had released solicitations for new stations, 35 of which had issued awards for more than 3,560 fast-charging ports in 890 locations.

EV chargers have long been cited as a barrier to adoption. According to the latest EV Purchase Consideration Survey from J.D. Power, more than half of car buyers cited a lack of charging station availability as the reason they are unlikely to consider an electric vehicle.

The Energy Department estimated that 28 million public and private EV charging ports would be necessary in the U.S. to support an estimated 33 million EVs expected to be on the road by 2030. 

In 2024, sales of electric vehicles reached their highest level ever, making up 8.1% of the 15.9 million total, bolstered by a $7,500 federal tax credit that the Trump administration also seeks to eliminate.