States Sue Trump Administration Over $2 Billion EV Charging Funding

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that it unlawfully withheld more than $2 billion in funding for electric‑vehicle charging programs.

The Lawsuit

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Seattle, focuses on the Trump administration’s decision to impound money that Congress had allocated for two major EV charging initiatives. The states claim that the Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration are holding the funds.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a statement saying, “The Trump administration’s illegal attempt to stop funding for electric vehicle infrastructure must come to an end.” He added, “This is just another reckless attempt that will stall the fight against air pollution and climate change, slow innovation, thwart green job creation, and leave communities without access to clean, affordable transportation.”

The filing is part of a broader legal campaign that began in May when the same states sued the administration over the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program. A federal judge later ordered the release of a portion of that funding for more than a dozen states.

Funding and Programs

The current lawsuit targets two specific programs:

• The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant program, which has $1.8 billion in allocated funds.
• The Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator program, which has about $350 million in funding.

The plaintiffs argue that the Trump administration’s February order halted state spending on these programs, effectively preventing the deployment of new charging stations.

State Participation and Legal Action

The lawsuit is led by attorneys general from California and Colorado. It is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The governor of Pennsylvania also signed on.

All of the signatories are Democrats. The states claim that the withholding of funds violates the obligations Congress placed on the federal government to support EV infrastructure.

Trump Administration’s Actions

After taking office in January, President Donald Trump issued an order to end what he called Biden’s “EV mandate.” The order halted spending on charging infrastructure that was funded under the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later issued revised guidance aimed at streamlining funding applications for states. The guidance was intended to make charger deployment more efficient, but the states argue it did not resolve the underlying withholding issue.

Trump has also rolled back both tailpipe emissions rules and gas mileage standards, and eliminated fines for automakers that fail to meet those standards.

Impact on EV Infrastructure

The states say that the lack of funding has stalled the deployment of charging stations across the country. They point out that only a fraction of the obligated funds has been spent.

In a December 3 press conference, Trump said, “We had to have an electric car within a very short period of time, even though there was no way of charging them and lots of other things.” He added, “In certain parts of the Midwest, they spent — to build nine chargers they spent $8 billion. So, that wasn’t working out too well.”

These statements highlight the administration’s claim that the federal programs were mismanaged, but the lawsuit argues that the real issue is the withholding of the funds.

Industry Response

The slowdown in EV sales is partly attributed to concerns about charging availability and vehicle prices. According to Kelley Blue Book, the average price of a new EV last month was $58,638, compared with $49,814 for a new vehicle overall.

Automakers have responded by adjusting their strategies. Ford Motor Co. announced it was pivoting away from its once‑ambitious, multi‑billion‑dollar electrification strategy in favor of more hybrid‑electric and fuel‑efficient gasoline vehicles.

Honda Motor Co. also said in the spring that it would take a significant step back from its EV efforts.

Key Takeaways

• Sixteen states and the District of Columbia sue the Trump administration over more than $2 billion in withheld EV charging funds.
• The lawsuit targets the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant program ($1.8 billion) and the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator program ($350 million).
• Trump’s February order halted state spending on these programs, a decision the states say violates congressional obligations.

The legal battle underscores the tension between federal policy and state efforts to expand electric‑vehicle infrastructure. The outcome will shape how quickly the United States can build the charging network needed for widespread EV adoption.

Closing

The lawsuit represents the latest chapter in a series of legal challenges over federal EV funding. States and the District of Columbia are seeking a court order to compel the administration to release the funds that were earmarked for charging infrastructure. The case will be closely watched by policymakers, industry stakeholders, and communities that rely on clean, affordable transportation options.