DENVER - On February 7, 2025, Governor Polis released the following statement on the Trump administration withholding critical funding, including for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, that makes Colorado roads safer and supports infrastructure like charging stations for wildly popular electric vehicles. This misguided move to withhold NEVI funding comes on the heels of a memo from the Department of Transportation that threatened to prioritize transportation and infrastructure funding for states with higher birth and marriage rates which would put politics above fixing potholes.

“Fresh off their ludicrous attempt to tie highway funding to birthrates, the Trump administration is attacking the freedom to move, including the freedom to drive, and putting their own agendas above what Americans and the market are demanding.  Coloradans want more charging stations to support the many electric vehicles they are choosing to buy and to drive across our state. Electric vehicles save money, are quiet and fun to drive, driver demand for electric vehicles in our state is high, and the market has rewarded Colorado for breaking down barriers, making it easier for hardworking people to own these vehicles,” said Governor Polis.

NEVI builds on the many successful efforts happening at the state level, and provides important resources to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure to help meet the extensive demand of Coloradans who are choosing to drive electric across our vast road network. Colorado recently opened the first NEVI fast-chargers for Coloradans and visitors from across the country, with many more under contract and on the way.

“New guidance from the federal highway administration would seem to stop work on many of the contracts that have already been signed, which would mean stopping companies from work they have already started to deliver the charging infrastructure that Coloradans want, in places people want to go. This would be unfortunate since rapidly rising EV sales are putting high demand on the current supply of chargers along our vast roadway network,” said Shoshana Lew, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Last week, Colorado joined with other states to successfully bring a temporary restraining order (TRO) to unfreeze federal funds and make them available for this important work. Earlier today, the State of Colorado, along with 22 other states and the District of Columbia, filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction to require federal agencies to release funds that were withheld based on instructions from the Office of Management and Budget and related Executive Orders, and also also filed a Request for Emergency Relief to Enforce Temporary Restraining Order.

Colorado is the national leader in electric vehicle adoption, with EVs making up 31.5% of new car sales last quarter. Coloradans are purchasing electric vehicles at a higher rate than any other state because EVs offer so much upside. The State is committed to ongoing investment in convenient and reliable access to EV charging as more Coloradans are switching to EVs to reduce emissions and save money on fuel and maintenance costs.

Overall, EVs have 60% to 68% lower lifetime emissions compared to gas-powered vehicles. EVs are also a quiet, great ride, and people know that these electric vehicles protect our clean air. Consumers in Colorado and across the country have made it clear: electric vehicles are here to stay, and demand will continue to grow.

Colorado has granted more than $33.6 million in congressionally approved NEVI funds to add 364 new fast-charging ports at 61 sites through the DCFC Plazas Grant program. The Polis administration has contracted for two rounds of projects and announced awards for a third in late-December. Many of these projects will start construction this Spring. Two NEVI-funded sites have opened to date, with numerous more sites anticipated to open in 2025.