EV Owners Might Soon Discover Limited Charging Options | Carscoops

      With the Trump administration reducing funding for new chargers, electric vehicle (EV) owners may soon face significant challenges.

      Roughly 174,000 new charging points must be added each year to keep pace with EV sales. The Biden administration had allocated $5 billion over five years to enhance EV charging infrastructure. However, charger installations in the U.S. plummeted by 21 percent in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

      While sales of electric vehicles are increasing in the United States, the future of charging infrastructure appears to be increasingly uncertain. Despite heightened interest in EVs, the rate of high-speed charger construction is not just lagging—it is actively declining. Coupled with potential policy changes under the Trump administration, the gap between the supply of chargers and demand could widen further.

      Data indicates that the installation of high-speed EV chargers across the U.S. fell by over 21% during the first quarter compared to the previous year. In light of this, BloombergNEF has revised its forecast for EV installations this year down from 360,000 to 285,000 units. This trend doesn't bode well.

      Analyst Ash Wang highlighted that if the current trajectory continues, BNEF may lower its forecast for annual U.S. charger installations in 2030 by 30% or more, indicating possible long-term repercussions if the pace of installation does not accelerate.

      Charger Goals Setting Backward

      Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump halted federal funding for EV chargers. These funds were intended to be allocated to states through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, which had earmarked $5 billion over five years to install chargers nationwide. The goal was to stimulate installation efforts across the country and prepare the electrical grid for increasing EV demand. Without this funding, progress has noticeably slowed.

      Currently, there are just over 208,000 public charging ports in the U.S., according to the Department of Energy. While that seems like progress, to align with projected sales growth of EVs and PHEVs, approximately 174,000 new charging points must be added each year. Falling behind now will make it significantly more challenging and costly to catch up later.

      Investment Declines as Support Wanes

      As reported by Bloomberg, S&P Global suggests that the suspension of government support for charging infrastructure could lead to reduced private investment in the sector, resulting in a scarcity of chargers and negatively affecting EV owners.

      "President Biden’s misguided EV initiative promised much but has delivered little, leaving American taxpayers to finance deals that benefit the Democrats’ circle," stated White House spokesman Harrison Fields when questioned about the slow progress in charging infrastructure. "President Trump was elected to dismantle the Green New Scam, and he is fully committed to that objective."

      Setting politics aside, the figures reveal a concerning disparity. EVs are being sold, but the necessary support network is not keeping up. Unless policy and investment align with this growth, infrastructure could become the most significant obstacle in the transition to electric vehicles.