(The Center Square) – The Trump administration suspended federal funding to state electric vehicle infrastructure plans, which Michigan was utilizing.
Michigan was set to receive $110 million in federal monies as a part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant program through 2026, all meant to fund the installation of public electric vehicle charging stations across the state.
U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Michigan, joined other Democrats in calling for the funding to be restored.
“The American people spoke through their elected representatives to allocate these funds so that American vehicle production can keep pace with the rest of the world–so we don’t let China edge us out of this market,” Scholten said in a news release. “The executive branch cannot now take that funding away. Americans want choice in their vehicle options and Republicans are trying to take that away.”
Following the appointment of new leadership in the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration announced the temporary suspension of the NEVI program, pending a review of its policies.
“Effective immediately, no new obligations may occur under the NEVI Formula Program until the updated final NEVI Formula Program Guidance is issued and new state plans are submitted and approved,” said Emily Biondi, associate administrator at the FHWA.
Republicans have applauded the funding cuts, with many other clean energy programs also on the chopping block.
“The days of irresponsibly shoveling boatloads of cash to far-left activist groups in the name of environmental justice and climate equity are over,” said Lee Zeldin, Trump-appointed administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency.
Michigan only recently completed its first NEVI-funded electric vehicle charging station, three years after the program was approved.
NEVI was funded by the federal 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and dedicated $5 billion to build a nationwide network of public EV charging stations.
According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, seven other charging stations were in the design phase, expected to open in early 2025. The majority, up to 80%, of the funding for each station will be allocated from the NEVI program.
While the program is expected to fund about 100 charging stations, the state has announced only 74 in either round one or round two of the program.
Following the federal announcement, the Michigan Department of Transportation announced it was pausing the program. This was just one of many electric vehicle programs pushed in the state, which are all part of the state’s plan “to build out the infrastructure to support 2 million EVs on Michigan roads by 2030.”
Currently, the state reports 4,100 charging ports across Michigan. To support its 2030 goal, “Michigan will need about 10,000 DCFC and 90,000 Level 2 chargers,” making the NEVI program just a small part of the state’s overall EV charger plan.
So far, the NEVI reported only 57 charging stations opened up across the country as a part of the program, with 896 conditionally awarded. With those 57 stations costing $30 million altogether, each station costs about $526,300 to install.
