No more NEVI funds? OK: No problem By EPN Staff Oklahoma was allocated $66 million to build electric vehicle charging stations, but three years into the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, zero NEVI stations are open. Oklahoma is not unique – only 13 states have opened a station, and Reuters has reported President-elect Donald Trump plans on cutting NEVI, which has become symbolic of bureaucratic inefficiency. However, Oklahoma may be uniquely positioned to endure NEVI funding cuts because of strong EV adoption and the state’s approval of policies that encourage private investment in EV charging. Why it matters NEVI was supposed to encourage private investment by providing startup grants to EV charging businesses. If Trump terminates NEVI, power companies in several states will likely try to fill the void, as many utilities have launched EV charging operations. Oklahoma lawmakers anticipated the risks of a non-competitive EV charging market and passed legislation in 2023 prohibiting utilities from using ratepayer funds to develop EV charging businesses. Residents in states with utility-run markets pay for the chargers on their power bills but often do not get an effective charging network. Marylanders paid $15 million for 87 utility-owned chargers at government buildings, many of which broke, and regulators shuttered the program. Xcel Energy promised to build 53 chargers in three states, but after three years, the utility had zero operational chargers. Florida Power & Light spent millions of ratepayer funds on EV chargers, frustrating private businesses who cannot compete with a monopoly. Deeper context Retailers wanting to expand into the EV charging market applauded Oklahoma’s legislation. Charge Ahead Partnership, a coalition of fuel retailers advocating for free-market policies, said the policy was “a model for the rest of the country.” Lawmakers in Texas, Georgia and Nebraska passed similar legislation. These bills have bipartisan support, as businesses and environmentalists agree that a market where the corner gas station can invest in EV charging will lead to more chargers. More details Oklahoma’s free-market policies and EV-driving population position it as a potentially attractive location for EV charging companies. In fact, Francis Energy, headquartered in Tulsa, has become one of the largest private charging providers in the country. Despite its reputation as a gas and oil state, Oklahoma had 22,800 EVs registered in 2023, according to the Alternative Fuels Database. This ranks the state No. 24 in the U.S. when it comes to total EV registrations. As of early January 2025, Oklahoma had 204 high-speed EV charging stations, according to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. The two states closest in square mileage to Oklahoma are Missouri (204 stations as well) and Washington (403 stations).
