The Biden administration has left the building, but not before allocating a whopping $635 million to flesh out EV charging infrastructure throughout the nation. While the Trump administration seems set on pumping the brakes on EV adoption, the charging infrastructure itself is already at the point of no return. With or without the funds, electrification seems to be the future of on-the-road mobility.
BMW
The funds will help establish 11,500 EV charging ports
The $635 million allocation to EV charging infrastructure comes from the $2.5 billion 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula program.
Per Electrek, $268 million will fund building the national fast-charging network across seven projects. The remaining $368 million will be allotted to expanding EV charging infrastructure in 42 projects focused on specific communities throughout the United States.
James Lipman
In all, the 49 projects funded by the $635 million allocation will go towards building more than 11,500 EV charging ports in 27 states and four federally recognized tribes, as well as the District of Columbia.
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There are currently over 70,000 EV charging stations in the United States
As it currently stands, there are over 70,000 public EV charging stations located throughout the United States. That amounts to just under 200,000 individual charging ports.
Ultimately, the Biden administration set a goal of 500,000 new EV chargers by 2030 and 50% of all new vehicles sold to be fully electric or plug-in hybrids by the end of the decade.
Lexus
Wisconsin’s first three NEVI-funded charging stations officially went online at the end of 2024. The stations, which feature four 150-kW ports, are located in relatively rural areas that see regular traffic due to tourism.
The stations are a part of Kwik Trip’s Kwik Charging program, which received $8.1 million from the NEVI program to build charging stations at 24 locations.
GM
“EV charging often happens in communities. Whether it’s parents visiting their kids at college, families staying at their cabins, or people road-tripping on Interstate 94 for the holidays – expanding the network gives consumers accessible options to charge their vehicles,” said Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office.
Trump admin has EVs in its crosshairs
With the final allocation, the Biden administration has successfully secured nearly all of the $2.5 billion dedicated to EV charging infrastructure. Just $700,000 remains unallocated, a rather minuscule amount in the grand scheme of things.
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Once funds are allotted, reclaiming them can be a difficult process, as the power of the purse is held by Congress, not the Executive Office. While President Trump has put a freeze on the funds via Executive Order, whether he can actually retract the Biden administration’s allocation is questionable.
GMC
According to Reuters, while the Biden administration refused to set a date for ending the sales of ICEs, Trump specifically campaigned on ending the EV mandate. In addition to halting the distribution of funds for EV charging stations, the Trump administration also revoked Biden’s goal of 50% of all new vehicles sold being fully electric or plug-in hybrids by 2030.
During the campaign season, Trump repeatedly suggested repealing the $7,500 federal tax credit on new EV purchases. He also plans to direct the EPA to reconsider its emissions regulations, which require automakers to sell between 30% and 56% EVs by 2032.
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President Trump plans on targeting state-issued restrictions as well. In December, the EPA awarded California a waiver that allows it to end the sale of ICE-only vehicles by 2035. Currently, 11 other states, including New York and Maryland, have adopted the same rule.
Final thoughts
Electric vehicles and charging infrastructure are in the hot seat at the moment, with the Biden administration making a hefty allocation in its final days. President Trump, in fulfilling campaign promises, has been quick to push back on EV adoption at all levels, from the initial purchase to charging on the road.
Ford
Meanwhile, the rest of the world is moving toward electrification. In Europe, sales of gas-only vehicles will be banned in 2035. In China, legacy automakers like Volkswagen and General Motors are struggling, but BYD and Tesla continue to grow. According to Cox Automotive, EV sales in the United States were up 7.3% in 2024.
Regardless of the United States’ position on EVs, the rest of the world is moving forward with electrification. Will private companies fill the gap left by the revocation of federal funds, or will the United States fall further behind?
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