The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program was created by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It gives state departments of transportation $5 billion over fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to build public DC fast charging, starting with designated highway corridors. Its path since early 2025 has been anything but steady.
Timeline
- February 2025. FHWA rescinded its NEVI guidance and suspended approval of state deployment plans, which stopped new obligations. GAO later concluded that the suspension violated the Impoundment Control Act, and a federal court ordered funding restored for states that sued.
- August 11, 2025. FHWA issued interim final guidance that superseded all earlier NEVI guidance. It simplified state plans and limits requirements to those in statute and regulation. The minimum standards in 23 CFR 680 are a regulation, so they still apply.
- October 2025. FHWA announced that fiscal year 2026 funds, the program’s final year of formula funding, were available for obligation once a state’s plan was approved.
- 2026. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, redirected part of the unobligated NEVI balance to other purposes, according to CRS.
CRS reported that most state plans had been approved and that about $1.4 billion of the roughly $4.2 billion available had been obligated as of December 31, 2025.
What it means for site hosts and installers
- Status varies by state. Each state DOT runs its own solicitations under its approved plan. Check your state DOT’s NEVI page for open rounds.
- The technical standards have not changed. Funded sites still need four 150 kW CCS ports, OCPP 2.0.1, greater than 97 percent uptime per port, and qualified electricians. See our regulatory overview.
- Timelines matter. Funds have obligation deadlines, and the formula program does not extend past fiscal year 2026 without new legislation.
We will update this article as FHWA issues further guidance.