Trump's New Move Makes Gas Stations the new EV Charging Hot Spot

New guidance from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) aims to “streamline” the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program by encouraging projects built at existing gas stations, among other changes, reports James Ochoa in Auto Blog.

The Trump administration was forced to restart the NEVI program after a judge ruled it had illegally canceled the funding. In a press release, Transportation Secretary Duffy doubled down on the administration’s position, saying, “While I don’t agree with subsidizing green energy, we will respect Congress’s will and make sure this program uses federal resources efficiently.”

The new guidance calls on states to “consider the proximity of existing off-highway travel centers, fuel retailers, and small businesses to proposed charging locations. FHWA encourages co-locating chargers at retail locations with onsite amenities that could provide safe locations and restrooms.”

Currently, most charging operators like Electrify America and Tesla operate primarily on properties they don’t own, while large fuel chains own strategic off-highway locations. In a statement responding to the changes, Tesla disagreed with tying funding to site ownership, noting, “EV charging companies are focused on delivering reliable and safe charging experiences for consumers at scale, and Tesla respectfully disagrees with prioritizing site ownership over other more important qualifications.”