The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has issued revised interim guidance for the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, clearing the way for states to resume applications for federal funding to build electric vehicle charging stations. The program, administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), was paused in February 2025 for a policy review, which halted new contract awards while allowing reimbursements for existing obligations to continue.
The updated guidance reduces application requirements to only those mandated by statute and regulation, simplifies the state plan approval process, and provides states with greater flexibility in determining charger placement along alternative fuel corridors. Previous mandates — including uniform station spacing of 50 miles, engagement with disadvantaged communities, labor and safety standards, and requirements for emergency evacuation or resilience planning — have been removed. States may now direct NEVI funds to charging projects on any public roads once they determine that highway corridors are “built out.”
USDOT stated that the changes are intended to accelerate project delivery and allow more than $2 billion in remaining unobligated NEVI funds to be disbursed. States must submit updated EV Infrastructure Deployment Plans within 30 days of the guidance’s release.
The NEVI program, created under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provides formula funding to states for the strategic deployment of EV charging infrastructure to support a national network of publicly accessible fast chargers.