By Redacción
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of illegally blocking billions in federal funds intended for expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, targets the Federal Highway Administration’s decision to withhold $5 billion allocated by Congress under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. California officials say the move violates federal law, costs the state over $300 million, and jeopardizes thousands of clean energy jobs.
“President Trump’s illegal action withholding funds for electric vehicle infrastructure is yet another Trump gift to China — ceding American innovation and killing thousands of jobs,” Newsom said in a statement. “Instead of hawking Teslas on the White House lawn, President Trump could actually help Elon — and the nation — by following the law and releasing this bipartisan funding.”
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order halting the release of funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, including money for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. The lawsuit claims the Federal Highway Administration unlawfully implemented this order, denying states access to essential EV infrastructure funds.
Led by California, Colorado and Washington, a coalition of 17 states joined the suit. The complaint argues that the FHWA’s actions violate constitutional authority, disregard Congressional mandates, and hinder states’ ability to build the infrastructure necessary to reduce pollution and support clean energy economies.
Attorney General Bonta said the administration’s actions reflect a broader effort to undo environmental protections. “This time, it’s about stripping away billions for clean transportation just to appease Big Oil,” Bonta said. “California will not back down — not from Big Oil and not from federal overreach.”
California had planned to use $384 million from the NEVI program to help build a network of EV charging stations. The state’s electric vehicle deployment strategy, already approved by federal authorities, calls for hundreds of thousands of additional charging ports to meet climate targets.
The suit seeks to have Trump’s executive order declared unlawful, rescinded, and blocked from future enforcement.
EV Leadership and Clean Transportation Investment
California leads the U.S. in zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption, with over 30% of new ZEVs sold nationwide registered in the state. More than 178,000 public or shared private EV chargers are already installed statewide, along with over 700,000 residential chargers.
Incentive programs offer thousands in rebates for low-income Californians to buy EVs. The state has also committed:
$640 million to expand charging and refueling infrastructure for zero-emission trucks and buses.
$500 million to deploy 1,000 more ZEV school buses.
Over $1.3 billion for public transit projects, many supporting clean transportation options.
Beyond EVs, the Newsom administration is investing in clean fuel production, rail and public transit upgrades, and grid improvements. Officials say these investments will not only promote sustainability but also help stabilize gasoline prices.
Broader Conflict with the Trump Administration
This lawsuit follows Newsom’s recent challenges to Trump’s unilateral tariff decisions and California’s push to develop strategic trade partnerships to protect state businesses and jobs. A new international campaign aims to strengthen California’s tourism relationship with Canada as part of this strategy.
