The Department of Transportation (DOT) on Thursday sent a memo to all states, telling them to stop building new government-funded charging stations immediately.
It’s one of the first major actions from President Trump’s newly appointed Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy. The former Real World cast member has vowed to undo what he calls the “radical Green New Deal,” which he blames for rising vehicle prices.
The memo is “effective immediately,” per the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). It voids the plans that all 50 states submitted to the DOT outlining how they would use their portions of the $5 billion allocated in 2021 for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
Tesla has received $31 million through the program to build Superchargers, making it the third biggest recipient. Tesla has received nearly $3 billion in government subsidies over time, as well as a $465 million loan from the Department of Energy in 2010. The top two NEVI funding recipients are Francis Energy charging ($87.7 million) and Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores ($49 million), according to the EV States Clearinghouse dashboard.
Even if charging companies have broken ground on new stations, they must stop working on them. The memo outlines that states cannot be held liable for any construction contracts they will violate as part of this directive. However, the government will reimburse any outstanding payments related to ongoing projects.
The program has drawn bipartisan criticism for the few charging stations it has produced. Only 51 are now in operation, though more are on the way, according to data cited by InsideEVs, which first reported on the memo.
Ongoing NEVI projects, open (green) and approved (purple) (Credit: EV States Clearinghouse Dashboard)
“We are utilizing the unique authority afforded under the NEVI Formula Program to ensure the Program operates efficiently and effectively and aligns with current USDOT policies and priorities,” a USDOT spokesperson tells PCMag. The department did not provide further details on the changes it plans to make. It will issue new guidance this spring, and after a public comment period it will finalize a new plan.
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It’s unclear if the federal government has the authority to take back the money, but it’s likely it will find a way to stop it from going toward charging stations. Trump has made halting federal funding for EV adoption a cornerstone of his agenda. He already froze any remaining charging funds from being dispersed on his first day in office, but most of it was already in the states’ hands. This new move to prevent states from using the funds is likely to have a bigger impact.
Editors’ Note: This story has been updated with comment from the USDOT.
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About Emily Forlini
Senior Reporter
