What’s next for EV charging companies
For EVs to become the mainstream choice of automobile, they’ll need to match gas-powered cars in terms of effective range and refueling convenience. That means more EV chargers (particularly DC Fast Chargers) will need to be built, and the range offered by EV batteries will need to improve. Surveys show that the top barriers to EV adoption are range anxiety and the need for fast, convenient charging.
That sentiment, along with Edison Electric Institute's estimate that more than 42.2 million chargers will be needed by 2035 to support 78.5 million EVs, suggests that the ability to quickly build up a reliable EV charging network is a make-or-break issue for the industry. However, the EV charger market is dealing with uncertainty that could slow its progress:
- The Trump administration's proposed fiscal 2027 budget is expected to remove more than $500 million from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
- In December 2025, 16 states sued the federal government over the Trump administration's refusal to approve new funding under EV infrastructure programs.
- President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" ended EV tax credits, which is expected to significantly slow EV sales and adoption.
It's a turbulent time for the EV market, and states have struggled to spend the funds allocated through the NEVI program. Although Congress approved $4.4 billion in NEVI funding in 2021, states had spent only 2% of that amount ($94 million) as of January 2026. More funding and EV chargers are needed to keep the industry growing.
