National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program

What NEVI funds and how the money moves

The NEVI Formula Program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provides $5 billion over federal fiscal years 2022–2026 to build out a national EV charging network, with an emphasis on DC fast charging along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. Funds are apportioned to state departments of transportation by formula — $885 million was apportioned for FY2026 — and states pass the money through to projects via their own solicitations. The federal share is up to 80% of eligible project costs; applicants do not apply to FHWA directly.

Under FHWA's Interim Final Guidance issued August 11, 2025, states have more flexibility than under the original 2022–2024 guidance: simplified state plan approvals, consolidated solicitations, and expanded site eligibility beyond designated corridors. Practically, that means state NEVI rounds in 2026 vary more from state to state — the state pages on this site track each state's NEVI status and open solicitations.

Where the program stands in 2026

NEVI funding was paused in early 2025 under Executive Order 14154 while FHWA rewrote its program guidance. A federal court ordered withheld funds released to plaintiff states in mid-2025, and FHWA issued new Interim Final Guidance on August 11, 2025. Since then, states have resubmitted plans, funding has been restored, and multiple states have opened or announced new solicitation rounds for 2026. Verify the current round status with your state DOT before building a project schedule around NEVI dollars — this site records the verification date on every claim.

The compliance that comes attached

Two significant compliance regimes attach to NEVI money because it is Title 23 federal-aid highway funding. First, the NEVI minimum standards at 23 CFR Part 680 — uptime, payment, interoperability, and data-reporting requirements that bind the funded project for years after installation. Second, Buy America domestic-content requirements for the chargers themselves, currently governed by FHWA's 2023 EV charger waiver, with a proposed 2026 modification pending that could raise the domestic-content threshold. Both are covered in detail on their compliance pages, linked below.

Note for procurement planning: FHWA proposed in February 2026 to raise the EV charger domestic-content threshold from 55% to up to 100% of component cost. That modification is proposed, not final. Projects obligated today are governed by the existing waiver terms; if a final notice issues, it would apply to projects obligated after publication.

How ZEF Energy fits a NEVI project

ZEF Energy manufactures Level 2 and DC fast chargers in the United States, with ETL-listed hardware and the ZEFNET network platform supporting OCPP 1.6, OCPP 2.0.1, ISO 15118, OpenADR 2.0b, and OCPI 2.2.1 — the charger-to-EV, charger-to-network, and network-to-network protocols 23 CFR 680.108 requires. ZEF's uptime support and 5-Year Advantage warranty package are built for the multi-year uptime obligation that NEVI-funded operators carry; ask ZEF for project-specific protocol-conformance documentation when finalizing a NEVI equipment spec. ZEF's Buy America position is stated in the compliance section below.