NEVI program funding continues after successful multi-state lawsuit against Trump Administration
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), today announced 26 additional locations will receive grant awards totaling $14 million in federal funding to build electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Wisconsin. Supported through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program under former President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these fast-charging stations will help ensure residents and visitors alike have access to the charging infrastructure needed to travel from point A to point B in Wisconsin.
This announcement comes as, earlier this year, Gov. Evers announced Wisconsin would be joining a multi-state lawsuit to stop the Trump Administration from blocking over $60 million in NEVI Formula Program funding Wisconsin expected to receive to support electric vehicle infrastructure projects across the state. The lawsuit came after Gov. Evers spent months urging the Trump Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to release and stop obstructing funding that Wisconsin was promised to expand access to electric vehicle infrastructure across the state and prevent any delays in federal funding to support improving Wisconsin infrastructure. Thanks to these efforts, in June, a federal judge blocked the Trump Administration’s action, allowing several EV infrastructure projects utilizing NEVI funding to move forward in Wisconsin. However, federal threats to the future of this impactful program remain.
“My administration and I have prioritized ensuring our state’s infrastructure meets the needs of the 21st Century since Day One because expanding our clean energy and electric vehicle infrastructure helps create jobs and bolster our economy, and it’s good for our planet, too,” said Gov. Evers. “Thanks to our actions to get the Trump Administration to release this critical funding that they were illegally withholding, we are thrilled to see the NEVI program continue to support these goals and further move us toward the clean energy future Wisconsinites deserve.”
This latest round of awards fills coverage gaps after the first round of awards was announced in May 2024. The first round awarded $22.4 million in federal funding for 52 projects, 11 of which are currently operational and 16 have been authorized for construction. Through the first two rounds of awards, WisDOT has awarded more than $36.4 million for a total of 78 projects. The governor celebrated the launch of the first of these charging stations in Wisconsin at Kwik Trip stores in Ashland, Menomonie, and Chippewa Falls earlier this year.
“As transportation choices continue to evolve, we’re seeing a growing interest in electric vehicles, with more than 37,000 EVs registered in Wisconsin,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “WisDOT is pleased to help offer drivers reliable and convenient places to stop, so they can feel comfortable making a trip across the state and have the opportunity to support local businesses along the way.”
The charging stations will be built along Wisconsin’s Alternative Fuel Corridor, reaching all corners of the state to support the more than 37,000 EVs registered in the state, as well as travelers and visitors. Site locations include fuel convenience stores, restaurants, lodging, and retail/grocery stores.
WisDOT evaluated a variety of factors when choosing these projects, including location, the potential for future development, availability of pull-through parking spaces to allow for larger EVs, and extended business site hours to accommodate longer refueling times. A full list of the 26 awarded locations can be found here. The locations of every planned charging station can be found on WisDOT’s EV charging station dashboard.
Today’s announcement also builds on the Evers Administration’s previous efforts to build a strong clean energy economy, including establishing the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change and prioritizing supporting hybrid-electric vehicles, electric vehicles, and related infrastructure as a key climate pollution reduction recommendation in the Task Force final report, as well as releasing the state’s first-ever Clean Energy Plan, which recommends accelerating the development of Wisconsin’s EV and EV charging station equipment manufacturing and supporting the transition to EVs statewide. According to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Wisconsin has the potential to emerge as a worldwide player in the manufacturing of EVs and related equipment and ranks higher than the national average in key EV job categories, including electrical engineers, industrial engineers, and computer programmers.
More information on Wisconsin’s electrification program can be found on the WisDOT website. More information on the Evers Administration’s efforts to stop the Trump Administration from blocking NEVI Formula Program funding is available here.
An online version of this release is available here.
