A group of sixteen U.S. states, along with the District of Columbia, has filed a federal lawsuit contesting the Trump administration’s decision to suspend funding for key electric vehicle (EV) charging initiatives. The legal action, submitted Tuesday in a Washington state federal court, argues that the administration unlawfully blocked congressionally approved funds intended to expand and repair EV charging infrastructure nationwide.
The lawsuit targets the suspension of two programs created under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) program and the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator. According to the complaint, federal transportation agencies stopped approving new grants under both programs earlier this year without formal notice or justification.
State officials contend that roughly $2.5 billion in total funding remains frozen, putting dozens of local and state projects at risk. Attorneys general leading the case say the funding halt violates constitutional limits by allowing the executive branch to override spending decisions made by Congress.
California, one of the lead plaintiffs, estimates it could lose nearly $179.8 million earmarked for projects such as zero-emission freight corridors, charger repairs, and heavy-duty electric vehicle infrastructure. Other states argue the pause threatens planned charging stations in urban and rural communities alike, potentially slowing EV adoption and private investment.
Wisconsin officials, for example, pointed to grants awarded to Milwaukee and Dane County that were meant to support alternative fueling stations but now face uncertainty. Similar concerns were raised by states across the Midwest, Northeast, and West Coast that joined the lawsuit.
The funding freeze stems from a February executive order titled “Unleashing American Energy,” which directed agencies to halt programs deemed ideologically driven or overly restrictive. Since returning to office in January, President Trump has moved aggressively to roll back electric vehicle incentives, including ending the federal EV purchase tax credit and proposing changes to emissions and fuel economy standards.
This lawsuit follows an earlier court ruling in June that blocked the administration from withholding funds from a separate $5 billion national EV charging initiative. After that decision, several states resumed announcing grants under that program.
The White House and the Department of Transportation have not yet commented on the new legal challenge.
The case highlights the growing divide between states pushing to accelerate the transition to electric transportation and a federal administration shifting policy away from previous climate and clean energy goals. As the lawsuit proceeds, the outcome could have major implications for the future pace of EV infrastructure development across the United States.
