Clean Fuel News

The United States of NEVI: The Current Outlook on the NEVI Program at the State-Level

January 5, 2026 | ACT-NEWS | By Amanda King

Key Takeaways

• The NEVI program, funded with $5 billion through FY 2026, has resumed momentum after a 2025 funding freeze was overturned by a federal court order, leading FHWA to release new interim guidance and restore funding to states.
• As of late 2025, at least 384 EV charging ports have been built through NEVI, with $885 million apportioned for FY 2026 and multiple states opening or planning new funding rounds in 2026.
• Updated NEVI guidance gives states greater flexibility in how and where they deploy funds, including consolidated solicitations, expanded site eligibility beyond designated corridors, and streamlined certification of corridor buildout.
• States may now use NEVI funding for medium- and heavy-duty charging and upgrades to existing stations after light-duty buildout, supporting fleet electrification and charging along major freight corridors.

Created with the sole goal of building a national, interconnected network of high-powered, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across America’s major roadways, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program aims to create a network that reduces gaps in available charging, catalyzes the deployment of EVs, and stimulates local economies by providing jobs and economic opportunities.

Throughout 2025, the road to NEVI has had its twists and turns, starting with a broad-sweeping cancellation, state-government lawsuits, and court-mandated renewal. Ultimately, this has led to the program, which has built out at least 384 charging ports, to a newfound present outlook that’s worth following... 

Outlook of NEVI

The new guidance released in August 2025 affords states the autonomy to take a different approach to utilizing their remaining NEVI funding. States are still expected to maintain minimum EV charging standards and requirements, which includes installing four charging ports with 150 kW capacity each, quarterly data reporting, and Buy America Build America requirements. However, states now have more flexibility when implementing their state programs. Here are key changes to the program and how states may adjust their NEVI implementation:

1. Release all remaining NEVI funds in one solicitation: The amount of funding allocated to the states to date varies, but the new guidance and final fiscal year of funding provides states with the option to release their remaining funding in one solicitation and do it in a way that meets the updated NEVI guidance.
2. Winner takes all: For ease of procurement and contracting, more states are likely to develop their solicitations with one or only a handful of station developers in mind. New Jersey did this for its first round of funding, awarding one contractor over $20 million to build-out all targeted EV charging stations. For 2025-2026, states like Ohio plan to award up to twelve contracts with a minimum of four sites per developer, leaving only up to three developers to win available funding.
3. Beyond “built-out” for rural or secondary highways: The new guidance simplifies how states can certify whether their AFCs are “built-out,” now only requiring a letter with reasonable explanation alongside supporting evidence. The new guidance also provides states with flexibility to determine the appropriate distance between stations along AFCs that would allow for reasonable travel (previously required 50 miles between charging stations). States that have previously awarded funding will likely prioritize areas outside of the AFCs to address broader charging gaps.
4. Expanded publicly available and community-centered site locations: The new guidance allows states to prioritize charging stations where operators are also the site hosts in addition to locations where people shop, dine, and/or work. Again, this gives more flexibility to fund projects not located on designated AFCs. The FHWA recommends that states use the funds for EV charging infrastructure on any public road or in other publicly accessible locations, such as parking facilities at public buildings, public schools, and public parks, or in publicly accessible parking facilities that are owned by a private entity. This not only enhances the connection between EV charging and community spaces but can also help bridge existing urban-rural charging gaps.
5. Ease of technology and resilience safeguards, renewable energy, and community engagement requirements: States are no longer required to consider community outreach or Justice 40 considerations that were once a key part of NEVI projects. Additionally, the guidance minimizes requirements for states to consider electric grid integration and renewable energy. Applications and projects will no longer need to address consumer protections (i.e. pricing transparency and user accessibility), emergency evacuation plans, environmental siting (i.e. National Environment Policy Act requirements), and resilience and terrain considerations (i.e. fireproofing).
6. Shift to medium- and heavy-duty charging (MHD) and charging upgrades: The new guidance allows states to include funding for MHD commercial vehicle charging and upgrades to existing stations to accommodate larger vehicles after charging build-out has been completed. States like Illinois have included MHD funding in its most recent solicitation, and California previously considered MHD charging as part of its NEVI funding.  This is beneficial for early adopting states that already built out their light-duty EV charging networks. They can now utilize these funds to build charging stations along major freight corridors that in turn support fleet electrification. These higher-capacity chargers typically require more funding and specialized infrastructure compared to their light-duty counterparts, and having NEVI funding eases the burden on states to support these types of projects.

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Note from LCF: At the time of publication, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development had not yet released their updated Request for Proposals or reopened the application process to award their first round of NEVI funding. Louisiana Clean Fuels previously served as a subject-matter expert and consultant to the agency until November 2025.