Judge Restores $5B EV Funds Blocked by Trump

U.S. District Judge Tana Lin issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration's freeze on $5 billion in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program funding, which was mandated by Congress to build a national EV charging network. The judge cited a 1995 episode of The Simpsons to illustrate the problem of 'range anxiety' among EV drivers. Fourteen states sued after the Department of Transportation ordered the halt, arguing that the administration's move violated Congressional mandates. Lin ruled that only Congress has the authority to suspend the funding and ordered the immediate release of the funds to the affected states. The decision comes amid other Trump administration efforts to limit EV adoption, including actions targeting California’s pro-EV policies. The ruling is considered a major win for clean-energy advocates and state governments aiming to expand EV infrastructure.