According to a report by Reuters, on February 7th local time, the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), which represents U.S. automakers and electric vehicle (EV) charging companies, urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to quickly restart a $5 billion electric vehicle infrastructure program.
On February 6th, the Trump administration announced the suspension of the aforementioned EV charging project and revoked approvals for state-level EV charging network plans. The EDTA stated that it had urged the Trump administration to "swiftly resume critical work on the program to minimize uncertainty for states and businesses," referring to companies that have already invested in charging infrastructure to support local and national transportation goals. The EDTA's members include General Motors, Toyota, BorgWarner, EVGo, Stellantis, and Walmart, among others.
Reuters noted that President Trump targeted electric vehicles on his first day in office, announcing that he would halt the allocation of unused government funds from the 5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure(NEVI) Fund for EV charging facilities. Additionally,Trump revoked an executive order signed by former President Biden in 2021,which aimed to ensure that half of all new vehicles sold in the U.S.by 2030 would be electric.It is mportant to note that Biden ‘s goal was not legally binding but had garnered support from both U.S. and foreign auto makers. Trump also called for an end to exemptions for states adopting zero−emission vehicle rules before 2035 and,as part of broader tax reform legislation, may take other actions against EVs, including seeking to repeal the7,500 consumer tax credit for EV purchases.
At the end of January, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy directed regulators to overturn the landmark fuel economy standards issued during the Biden era. In June of last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that it would increase the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for light-duty vehicles from the current 39.1 miles per gallon to approximately 50.4 miles per gallon by 2031.
In other news, to compete with Tesla, Ionna, a joint venture of eight major automakers, has begun deploying a charging network across the U.S. Ionna announced on Wednesday that it has officially transitioned from public testing to nationwide rollout. Established in 2023, Ionna's partners include BMW, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia. The company held an opening ceremony at its headquarters in Durham, North Carolina, on Tuesday to celebrate this milestone. Ionna already has several new charging stations in operation, including locations in Houston, Texas, and Abilene, Kansas, with six more under construction.
The company has secured site contracts for over 100 locations across the U.S. Since late 2024, Ionna has conducted extensive testing, completing 4,400 charging sessions across 80 different vehicle models to ensure seamless compatibility and performance. Ionna aims to install over 1,000 charging stations by the end of 2025 and has set a long-term goal of deploying more than 30,000 charging stations by 2030. Currently, Tesla controls about two-thirds of the fast-charging stations in the U.S. This charging alliance of eight major automakers is expected to reduce reliance on Tesla's charging network.
