A proposal from the Trump administration to increase the percentage of U.S. parts and components in federally funded EV charging stations would reportedly make $5 billion in funds unusable.
According to Reuters, the new rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation would require EV charger manufacturers to use 100% American-made parts, up from the previous 55% requirement.
A group of 20 state attorneys general published a letter on March 16 opposing the directive, with representatives from states including California, Colorado, Arizona, New York, Virginia, Illinois, and Michigan signing. They said these new rules would be a major hurdle for the EV charging industry.
"[This would be] impossible for manufacturers to achieve, frustrate congressional intent, and impair the public interest by slowing or halting federally funded EV charger deployment nationwide," they said.
The $5 billion in funding was originally allocated as part of a 2021 infrastructure law to support the expansion of the United States' already growing EV charging network. The Trump administration previously attempted to suspend this funding, but the motion was shut down in a decision by the U.S. District Judge Tana Lin during a lawsuit led by 20 states.
Although it is unclear when or if this money will eventually fund new U.S. charging stations, EV drivers can dodge public chargers altogether and save big by upgrading to a Level 2 charger at home. TCD partner Qmerit can help you get free estimates and find the best deal on chargers based on your home and budget.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said this rule shift is another attempt to "halt congressionally mandated funding."
The state attorneys general also said that although they support the Buy America rules, the new proposal is not feasible.
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"There are currently no 100% domestically produced chargers available for purchase, there is not enough demand for 100% domestically produced chargers to justify investing in domestic production, and some critical components of the chargers are simply not produced in the United States," they said in the letter.
If the rules are finalized, they will go into effect immediately.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 Luckily, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are already over 84,000 public charging stations and over 270,000 EV charging ports in operation across the country.
Although the public funding would help further expand this network, charging from home rather than relying on stations is still the best way to save money.
If you're interested in a home charging system, Qmerit has all of the resources you need to get started.
To boost your savings even more, consider installing solar panels. By charging your EV with energy from the sun, you can refill your car's battery for a lot less than using power from the grid. TCD's Solar Explorer can help find the best deal on solar panels in your area.
With concierge-level service and competitive bids, the Solar Explorer simplifies the process while connecting you with vetted local installers. It can even save homeowners up to $10,000 on the cost of installation.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
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