Trump halts electric vehicle charger funding, South Carolina turns to private backing

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – President Trump has halted plans to fund building charging stations for electric vehicles across the country.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation will not receive federal funding to continue to build the electric vehicle chargers, as of Tuesday.

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, or NEVI, is a $5 billion initiative.

SCDOT expected to receive a total of $70 million from it over the next few years. Now with the suspension, Senator Larry Grooms said this is the perfect time to pass his bill.

“We will have more charging stations, long term, if the government doesn’t subsidize, tell us, or purchase them for us,” Grooms said.

The bill said private companies and entrepreneurs will pay for the charging stations and have them open to anyone who drives an electric vehicle. Grooms said it is important to not rely on government funding when it’s not necessary.

“The government needs to step away, the government needs to step back, and let free enterprises determine where the charging stations ought to be and where the public will want them. Supply will meet demand and we will have charging stations in our states when we need them,” Grooms said.

Senator Russell Ott said he agrees and should be working with businesses every step of the way.

“In the meantime, we can’t put our eggs in those baskets,” Ott said. “We have got to continue to move forward to make sure, that we give private businesses the structure that they need to know what the rules of the game are.”

Michael Fields, Executive Director at South Carolina Convenience and Petroleum Marketers’ Association, is a big proponent of this bill.

He said it is important to protect local businesses from utility power companies making charging stations that could take away their customers.

“Perfect reason for South Carolina to get out front, with the five, six, seven states that have already done something like this, to unleash the power of the free market.”

SCDOT told us that they have paused further building activity and are waiting for further guidance from the Federal Highway Administration.

According to state law in South Carolina, you are not allowed to purchase an electric vehicle directly from the manufacturer. There is a bill this year in the house that could change that, which would increase the amount of people driving electric vehicles.