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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The future of electric vehicles in Massachusetts may be hitting a roadblock.
President Donald Trump has signed dozens of executive orders since taking office, including one that aims to roll back incentives for purchasing electric vehicles put in place by former President Joe Biden. In the order, President Trump said he wants the U.S. to “unleash” its energy and natural resources.
Also included in the order is an immediate pause on the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, which set aside $5 billion for states to build EV charging stations.
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The executive order puts into question $63 million in federal subsidies allocated for the Commonwealth through NEVI. Despite the program being established in 2021, state officials have not spent any of the money.
State officials were looking to use the subsidies to build chargers in areas private companies may not prioritize, like rural or low-income communities. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Massachusetts has the fifth most electric vehicle chargers in the country with 3,506.
It is not immediately clear if the executive order will affect that funding or the state's climate goals.
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.
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