Pennsylvania Transportation Department Announces $100 Million for Community EV Charging

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on Feb. 19 launched the Community Charging phase of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI, program, directing $100 million in federal funding toward public electric vehicle charging stations in local communities. The initiative expands deployment beyond interstate corridors and is intended to improve everyday charging access while supporting the state’s transportation electrification goals.

The first funding round focuses on the southeastern region, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, where about $34 million is available. Regional planning agencies will identify priority investment areas, while any publicly accessible location within the region may apply. PennDOT plans to open additional rounds for western Pennsylvania in April through May 2026 and for eastern and central regions in August through September 2026.

The announcement builds on earlier awards under the NEVI program, a $5 billion formula program established by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to provide funding to states over a five-year period to build out a national network of EV charging stations. Pennsylvania has committed $54 million to public charging projects statewide and reports 29 operational stations funded through the initiative, representing about $17 million in investment. Another 54 sites are in development. Since the first site entered service in December 2023, stations funded through the program have supported more than 80,000 charging sessions and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2,000 metric tons.

Last month, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington reinstated the program’s funding, which the Trump administration attempted to freeze last year.  The court found that the U.S. Department of Transportation unlawfully rescinded the program guidance and suspended approval of state deployment plans. The Trump administration had paused the initiative in February 2025 following a January 2025 executive order after which a coalition of states and environmental organizations filed a lawsuit challenging the action. The court issued a preliminary injunction in June 2025 after which the administration issued revised guidance in August 2025 before the court issued its final ruling in January 2026.

The department is also preparing to announce awards from its Corridor Connections funding round released Oct. 7, 2025 and closed Jan. 30, 2026. Those projects will add charging stations along major roadways beyond designated alternative fuel corridors to improve long distance travel reliability.