The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), passed in November 2021, included funding to help build a nationwide electric vehicle (EV) charging network. One major part of that effort is the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, a five-year, $5 billion federal program created to help states build EV charging stations along major travel routes. The goal of NEVI is to make charging more reliable and convenient, support more EV drivers, encourage private investment, and reduce transportation emissions. State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), many of which had little or no experience running EV charging programs before NEVI, have moved quickly to build that capacity and begin awarding contracts for new stations.
In August 2022, all 52 states and territories submitted their first EV infrastructure plans to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for fiscal years 2022 and 2023. After those plans were approved, states continued submitting yearly updates to access additional funding. By early 2025, more than $526 million had been obligated and contracts had been awarded for nearly 4,000 direct current fast charging (DCFC) ports at 990 locations. Even with that progress, the program faced pressure to move faster. In February 2025, FHWA suspended NEVI, creating uncertainty about future progress. Then, in January 2026, Congress passed a budget law that rescinded just over $503 million in NEVI funding across 30 states and territories.
This fact sheet explains what the rescission means for the NEVI program, how much funding remains available, and what it could mean for future EV charging buildout across the country.
