The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program is one of the largest single investments in EV charging infrastructure ever made. $5 billion in US federal funding, distributed across the 50 states over five years, aimed at building a continental DC fast charging network along highway corridors.
For the EV charging industry, NEVI has been transformative — not just for the money but for the requirements it imposes (open standards, reliability targets, accessibility) which have shaped how charging networks are being built broadly. It has done as much to entrench open standards over proprietary networks (coming soon) as any single market force.
This article covers what NEVI is, what it requires, how it’s been going, and what it means for the industry.
The basics
NEVI was authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) of 2021. The program directs $5B in federal funding over fiscal years 2022-2026 to states for EV charging infrastructure.
Funding flows:
- Congress appropriates the money to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
- FHWA distributes to states via a formula (highway miles, population, EV registrations).
- States submit plans to the FHWA describing how they’ll use the money.
- Once approved, states issue contracts or grants to private entities to build charging sites.
- Built sites must meet NEVI specifications.
flowchart TD
A[Congress<br/>appropriates $5B] --> B[FHWA]
B -->|formula allocation| C[States]
C -->|submit plans| B
B -->|approve plans| C
C -->|contracts / grants| D[Private builders]
D --> E[NEVI-spec sites]
style A fill:#e8f0fe,stroke:#4285f4
style E fill:#e6f4ea,stroke:#34a853The pace has been slower than initially planned. As of mid-2026, some states have many NEVI-funded sites operational; others are just starting to award contracts. The bureaucratic complexity has been a recurring theme.
What NEVI requires
A site that gets NEVI funding must meet specific criteria.
Power and connectivity
- Minimum 4 ports per site, each capable of 150 kW or greater.
- All four ports must be able to deliver 150 kW simultaneously (no power-sharing tricks).
- Sites must be on or near a designated Alternative Fuel Corridor (AFC) — primarily interstate highways.
- Maximum 50 miles between NEVI sites on the corridor.
- Within 1 mile of an AFC exit.
Connectors
- At least one CCS1 connector per port (with the broader transition, NACS is increasingly added).
- NACS support is increasingly required as the standard transitions.
- Note: NEVI requirements have evolved as the connector standard has shifted; current requirements vary by year and state interpretation.
Open standards
- OCPP 2.0.1 or later support (initially OCPP 1.6 was allowed; current requirements emphasize 2.0.1) for charger-to-backend communication.
- OCPI or equivalent for roaming.
- Open payment — must accept multiple payment methods, not just a single network’s app.
Reliability
- 97% uptime target per port per quarter.
- Continuous monitoring required.
- Reporting to state agencies.
Accessibility
- ADA compliance.
- Accessible signage.
- Adequate lighting.
- 24/7 availability.
Other
- Buy America provisions (US-manufactured equipment).
- Workforce requirements (training, prevailing wages on installation).
- Customer service / support requirements.
Why the requirements matter
The NEVI requirements have ripple effects beyond NEVI itself.
Open standards mandate. Network operators that wanted NEVI money had to support OCPP and OCPI even if they previously ran proprietary stacks. This accelerated the open-standards transition across the industry and reshaped how CPOs and eMSPs interoperate.
Reliability target. 97% uptime is aggressive. Networks have had to invest in operations, monitoring, and rapid maintenance. The reliability improvements benefit non-NEVI sites too.
Multi-network acceptance. A NEVI-funded charger can’t be locked to one network’s app. Cards, contactless, and app from any network must work. This drives roaming infrastructure.
Power tier. The 150 kW minimum means new builds skip the lower tiers. Sites are higher-quality than the legacy 50 kW chargers many networks built in the 2018-2020 era.
Site density. 50 miles between sites means more reliable corridor coverage than the patchy distribution of pre-NEVI charging.
Who participates
Several types of organizations have been NEVI recipients.
Established charging networks
EVgo, Electrify America, ChargePoint, Blink Charging, and others have been major participants. Their existing operational capabilities and network infrastructure made them natural fits.
Fuel retailers
Major gas/convenience chains (Pilot Flying J, Love’s, Buc-ee’s, Wawa, 7-Eleven, Shell, BP) have entered the EV charging space largely via NEVI. They have the right locations (highway interchanges, established sites) and the capital.
Utilities
Some utilities deploy their own NEVI-funded charging. Mixed results — utilities have grid access advantages but less experience with retail charging operations.
New entrants
Some NEVI awards have gone to new companies specifically formed for the opportunity. Variable execution.
Tesla
Tesla has won some NEVI awards by opening Supercharger sites to non-Tesla vehicles with Magic Dock or NACS-CCS adapter. Tesla’s operational excellence has made these among the most successful NEVI sites.
State-by-state variation
NEVI is a federal program but execution is state-by-state. Major variations:
- Some states have been fast. Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Hawaii moved quickly.
- Some have been slow. Several states have multi-year backlogs of approved plans without contracts.
- Some states prioritize differently. Some focus on rural coverage; others on urban centers; others on equity.
- State agency capability varies. Some state DOTs have deep EV experience; others are learning.
By 2026, the gap between fast-moving and slow-moving states is wide. Coverage on the US highway system is improving but unevenly.
The challenges
NEVI hasn’t been smooth. Several recurring issues.
Slow deployment
Initial expectations were rapid build-out. Reality has been slower — site selection, permitting, utility coordination, electrical service installation, equipment procurement all take real time.
Utility coordination
A new high-power charging site can require significant utility work — new transformer, possibly distribution upgrades. Utility processes are slow. Many NEVI sites have been delayed by 6-18 months on utility scheduling.
Buy America provisions
Domestic content requirements have constrained equipment supply. Some non-US manufacturers couldn’t qualify; some US manufacturers couldn’t scale fast enough. This eased over time but caused early bottlenecks.
Real estate
Site selection is harder than expected. Specific corridor criteria, accessibility, and ownership constraints have made some segments hard to cover.
Operational maturity
97% uptime is achievable but requires real operational discipline. Some recipients underestimated the complexity.
Political headwinds
Federal policy shifts have created uncertainty about future funding tranches and program continuity. Recipients have had to plan around uncertainty.
The reliability mandate
The 97% uptime requirement is one of NEVI’s most important contributions to the industry. Several effects:
Operations investment. Networks deploying NEVI sites have had to invest in 24/7 monitoring, rapid maintenance, automated alerting. These capabilities benefit their broader networks.
Hardware reliability. The cost of unreliable hardware (lost NEVI compliance, lost revenue, brand damage) has pushed networks toward more reliable equipment. OEMs have had to step up quality.
Customer perception. As NEVI sites prove more reliable than the average pre-NEVI public charger, customer expectations rise. Networks have to match.
This was arguably needed. Pre-NEVI public charging in the US had a reputation for unreliability that hampered EV adoption. NEVI is part of why public charging is now noticeably better than five years ago.
What this means for industry players
For network operators: NEVI compliance is now table stakes for being a real player in US public charging. Networks that didn’t qualify (or didn’t bother) are increasingly marginalized.
For charger manufacturers: OCPP 2.0.1, reliability, NACS support, NEVI-grade build quality are all important. The differentiated NEVI-friendly products are commanding the market.
For CSMS providers: NEVI compliance requires solid OCPP 2.0.1, OCPI 2.2+, robust monitoring, and reliability reporting. Many CSMSes have built NEVI-compliance packages.
For software / app providers: the open-payment requirement opens space for cross-network apps and payment platforms.
For real estate / fuel retailers: NEVI is an opportunity to deploy EV charging without bearing all the capital cost, reshaping the business models (coming soon) available to site hosts. Long-term relationships emerging.
What’s next
NEVI’s initial 5-year window is wrapping up. Open questions:
Continuation of funding? Will Congress reauthorize after 2026? Politically uncertain.
Shift to additional EV programs? CFI (Charging and Fueling Infrastructure) program also distributes funding for non-corridor sites and rural charging.
State-level continuation? Some states are building their own EV charging funds that may continue regardless of federal action.
Private investment dominance? As the public charging market matures and EV adoption grows, private investment may dominate over public funding.
Most analysts expect EV charging infrastructure investment to continue at scale through the next decade with NEVI as a major contributor but eventually shifting to private market dominance.
The honest summary
NEVI is a meaningful federal investment that has shaped how US EV charging infrastructure is being built. Its requirements (open standards, reliability, multi-payment, site density) have set industry-wide expectations even for non-NEVI sites. Execution has been slower than hoped but real progress is happening. For anyone in the US EV charging industry, understanding NEVI’s requirements and trajectory is essential — it remains one of the largest market-shaping forces of the decade.