Colorado has joined 16 other states in a lawsuit against the Trump administration for withholding billions of dollars in congressional funding for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser stated that the state stands to lose tens of millions of dollars due to the administration’s actions.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington state, challenges the Trump administration’s decision to halt distribution of funds approved under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2022. This act allocated $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI) to support the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the United States.
“Colorado has already made significant progress in developing the foundation for infrastructure needed for widespread electric vehicle adoption,” Weiser explained. “The state’s federally approved plans were designed to fill gaps in rural Colorado and other underserved communities.”
The controversy began when President Donald Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office for his second term, titled ‘Unleashing American Energy.’ This order included eliminating the ‘electric vehicle mandate,’ aiming to create “a level regulatory playing field for consumer choice in vehicles.”
Weiser countered that “a bipartisan majority of Congress authorized funding for electric vehicle infrastructure, and President Trump and the Department of Transportation are breaking the law by revoking it.”
Colorado had developed plans to utilize $57 million in NEVI funds, with $44 million approved by the Federal Highway Administration for the period between 2022 and 2025. Although the state has awarded $33 million and made contractual commitments of $18 million, it has only received $8 million from the federal government. This discrepancy has left the state and its contractors in an uncertain financial position.
Colorado’s goal is to have more than 2 million electric cars and SUVs on its roads by 2035. To achieve this, the state has implemented various programs and incentives to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles and the installation of charging stations. Currently, there are over 5,600 charging stations across Colorado, and nearly 179,000 electric vehicles are registered in the state.
The lawsuit highlights the ongoing debate between state and federal priorities regarding electric vehicle infrastructure development. While the Trump administration has expressed concerns about regulatory mandates, states like Colorado are moving forward with plans to expand their electric vehicle infrastructure, backed by congressional funding.
