The rollout of a federal program to expand electric vehicle fast charger access has been rocky, and it just got rockier. President Donald Trump announced the halt of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program funds, which was set to allocate $104 million for new fast EV chargers in New Jersey.
Despite allocating billions of dollars for electric vehicle charging infrastructure nationwide, the NEVI program has resulted in zero chargers in New Jersey and only 57 operational fast charger stations across 14 states. The Biden administration touted the program as a push towards net-zero emissions by 2050.
However, progress has been slow, with many experts attributing delays to the solicitation process, lack of experience deploying electric vehicle charging stations, labor contract requirements, and operation challenges. The freeze on NEVI funds may cause confusion among state agencies and slow down momentum in implementing the program.
Despite the halt, policy analysts say that states can still submit revised plans for approval and that funding will be made available again when new guidance is issued. However, the longer the pause, the more damaging it will be to the program and public EV confidence.
The NEVI program has been plagued by issues, including a lack of transparency on allocated funds and a slow rollout pace. The halt on NEVI funds may bring some relief for critics, but experts say that the program’s future remains uncertain.
Source: https://www.nj.com/hudson/2025/02/nj-got-104m-to-add-fast-ev-chargers-but-none-were-installed-now-trumps-freezing-the-money.html