Charger installation slowdown raises alarm
The growth of high-speed electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the U.S. has hit a major speed bump. Installations dropped more than 21% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to BloombergNEF analysis of Energy Department data. Analysts say the sharp decline could threaten broader EV adoption just as the U.S. market needs to scale rapidly to meet climate goals and consumer demand.
Politics cast a long shadow over the EV future
The dip in installations comes amid heightened political uncertainty. President Donald Trump has vowed to dismantle much of the Biden-era climate agenda, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides up to $7,500 in tax credits for EV buyers. Trump’s allies in Congress have also proposed eliminating those credits, and his administration has already rolled back auto emissions standards and paused implementation of federally funded charging programs.
That has led to a “negative feedback loop,” says BloombergNEF analyst Ash Wang. “The uncertainty has automakers scaling back EV investments.”. BloombergNEF has already revised its charging installation forecast for 2025 downward, from 360,000 new chargers to just 285,000.
State-funded projects hit the brakes
Although the bipartisan infrastructure law designated $5 billion for EV charging buildout, some states have halted or delayed projects tied to that money, citing the Trump administration’s freeze on implementation. With federal momentum stalled and no clarity on whether tax credits will be preserved, private sector investment has also cooled. Wood Mackenzie analyst Emil Koenig noted that his firm’s charging projections are still based on the existing EV credit, but even so, they’ve lowered expectations. “If the credit is repealed, it would materially affect our forecast,” Koenig said.
Tariffs could stall affordable EV rollout
Beyond tax credits and infrastructure, analysts are also eyeing how Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods and foreign-sourced auto parts could further stifle EV momentum. About 35% of EVs sold in the U.S. last year were imported, and even some U.S.-assembled models rely heavily on global supply chains.
Rising costs could kill or delay the launch of affordable EVs in the $25,000 range — models that are crucial for mass adoption. “Any delay in low-cost EV models will also materially set back charging infrastructure deployment,” said Koenig.
Final thoughts
With more than 208,000 public EV charging ports currently online, the U.S. still lags far behind what’s needed to support projected EV adoption by 2030. BNEF estimates that nearly 174,000 new charging points need to be added every year just to stay on track, assuming no new policies are introduced.
Without continued federal support, experts warn, EV infrastructure could fall dangerously short, discouraging new buyers and risking a major setback in the transition away from fossil fuels.
