New Directive from Trump Administration for $5 Billion EV Charging Fund

The Trump administration has finally issued new guidelines to assist states in distributing the allocated $5 billion fund for building electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. This decision comes after months of blocking the fund’s release.

Several state governments filed lawsuits against the withholding of the funds under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. In June, a judge ruled that the states had a strong chance of winning the case, ordering the administration to immediately suspend the fund blockade.

The Department of Transportation (DOT), led by former MTV personality Shan Duffy, has criticized states for delaying fund expenditures. As of May 2025, approximately 84% of the allocated $5 billion remains unspent, and only a few charging stations have been built.

The new directive removes many of the previous strict conditions for building charging stations—such as consumer protection, emergency rescue plans, environmental impact assessments, and especially the requirement to build chargers in agricultural, disadvantaged, or minority communities.

Relaxations also apply to the need for worker safety training, high-quality installation standards, and ensuring participation of minority- and women-owned businesses in the funded projects.

Duffy claimed that the period of fund withholding was merely a “review process” to align the NEVI program with the administration’s priorities.

While this directive will speed up spending of the funds and advancement of charging infrastructure, it raises concerns about environmental and social justice. The new policies allow faster project execution but may compromise consumer protection and equity considerations in some areas.