Faster but Not Fast Enough: States’ Rollout of Federal EV Charging Funds Has a Long Way to Go, Per Sierra Club Analysis

States have significantly increased their efforts to deploy federal funds for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in 2025, yet the vast majority of allocated money remains unused, according to a recent Sierra Club report. Despite progress more than doubling compared to previous years, over 96% of the available federal funding for EV highway charging networks has yet to be spent. This slow rollout comes amid ongoing challenges such as high gas prices and constrained state budgets, which risk hindering the transition to electric transportation. The federal government established several programmes in 2021 and 2022 to expand EV charging infrastructure, including the National Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (NEVI) programme, the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) programme, and the Clean Ports Program (CPP). However, the NEVI programme faced a significant setback when the Trump administration froze funding in early 2025, an action later overturned by a coalition of states and environmental groups through federal court. Funding resumed mid-year and was fully restored nationwide by January 2026, enabling states to resume work on critical EV infrastructure projects. Key states leading the deployment of NEVI-funded charging stations include Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Texas, and Colorado, highlighting that progress is not confined to any single political or regional bloc. Sierra Club advocates stress that the main barrier to faster deployment is not political will but rather the ambition and administrative capacity to utilise the funds effectively. Recommendations to accelerate progress include better coordination among state agencies, engagement with utility regulators to maximise funding impact, and clear targets and timelines for infrastructure delivery. The report also notes a strong surge in privately funded EV charging infrastructure, with over 18,000 new fast-charging ports installed nationwide in 2025—a 30% increase from the previous year. This private sector momentum complements federal efforts and underscores growing market confidence in electric mobility. Nevertheless, Sierra Club warns that states must act swiftly to avoid losing federal funds and to ensure that the necessary charging networks are in place to support the expanding EV market and meet climate goals.