Colorado Governor Jared Polis is pushing back against the Trump administration’s decision to suspend federal funding for state electric vehicle infrastructure plans, a move that affects Colorado’s rollout of public EV charging stations.
Polis, a Democrat, condemned the decision, arguing that electric vehicles save money and improve air quality. Colorado was set to receive $57 million through 2026 from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Grant program, a $5 billion federal initiative under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at building a nationwide network of EV charging stations.
The program was expected to fund 172 new fast-charging ports at 29 locations across Colorado, with the state contributing an additional $48 million. However, following a leadership shift at the U.S. Department of Transportation in early February, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced a temporary suspension of the NEVI program to review its policies.
Emily Biondi, associate administrator at the FHWA, stated that no new funding obligations would be approved until updated guidance is issued and new state plans are submitted. While some states have paused EV charger installations due to the funding suspension, the Colorado Department of Transportation has not announced any changes.
So far, only 58 NEVI-funded charging stations have been installed nationwide, costing a total of $31 million—an average of $527,300 per station. In Colorado, two NEVI-funded stations have opened, one in Frisco costing $510,000 and another in Longmont at $285,000.
Colorado’s broader electric vehicle strategy aims for nearly 100% of light-duty vehicle sales to be electric by 2050, with a goal of 940,000 EVs on the road by 2030. As of now, the state has over 161,000 EVs registered.
