States sue Trump administration over $3 billion in blocked EV charging grants
States sue Trump administration over $3 billion in blocked EV charging grants
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Chinese EV battery maker shows new tech US consumers can't buy
At the Shanghai Auto Show, Chinese EV battery giant CATL revealed new technologies, but none are likely to reach US consumers anytime soon.
Straight Arrow News
California and 15 other states sued the Trump administration on Wednesday, saying the federal government was illegally withholding billions of dollars awarded to states for building electric-vehicle charging stations.
The U.S. Transportation Department in February suspended the EV charging program and rescinded approval of state plans pending a review.
Senate Democrats said President Donald Trump was withholding more than $3 billion from the program, which was approved as part of former President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act.
The lawsuit, joined by the District of Columbia, New York, New Jersey and Colorado among others, was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington State.
In case you missed it: Car buyers beware: Big tax credit on EVs is in limbo
The states said the administration's decision "will devastate the ability of states to build the charging infrastructure necessary for making EVs accessible to more consumers, combating climate change, reducing other harmful pollution, and supporting the states' green economies."
A spokesperson for Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy did not immediately comment.
In February, a group representing automakers and electric vehicle charging companies called on the transportation department to restore funding quickly.
Since his inauguration in January, Trump has moved to reverse Biden administration policies promoting a transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and battling climate change.
Trump has advocated for a return to coal-fired power plants and an increase in domestic oil exploration and production.
As part of his stance, the president has taken aim at electric vehicles, halting distribution of government funds for vehicle charging stations from the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund.
Trump revoked a 2021 order by Biden that sought to ensure half of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. were electric by 2030.
He called for an end to state efforts to adopt zero-emission vehicle rules and a halt in funding for high-speed rail in California.
Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and Cynthia Osterman
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
15 minutes ago
- New York Times
Trump Aides Insist That Tariffs Will Remain, Even After Court Ruling
President Trump's top economic advisers stressed on Sunday that they would not be deterred by a recent court decision that declared many of the administration's tariffs to be illegal, as they pointed out a variety of additional authorities that the White House could invoke as it looks to pressure China and others into negotiations. They also signaled that Mr. Trump had no plans to extend an original 90-day pause on some of his steepest tariff rates, raising the odds that those duties — the mere announcement of which had roiled markets — could take effect as planned in July. 'Rest assured, tariffs are not going away,' Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, said during an appearance on 'Fox News Sunday.' Asked about the future of the president's so-called reciprocal tariffs, first announced and quickly suspended in April, Mr. Lutnick added, 'I don't see today that an extension is coming.' The president's tariff strategy entered uncharted political and legal territory last week after a federal trade court ruled that Mr. Trump had misused an emergency economic powers law in trying to wage a global trade war. The decision would have put a quick halt to those duties, which form the centerpiece of the president's strategy of pressuring other countries into trade talks. But an appeals court soon granted the government a brief administrative pause to sort out arguments in the case, which is expected to reach the Supreme Court. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sound Off: June 1, 2025
Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics. Perhaps someone could develop a device that when a traffic light changed from red to green a signal was sent to the cars in front of the light. That signal would cause a loud ding to sound on the car's speakers alerting those looking at their phones that it was time to move. I'm not sure I've ever laughed harder than I did when I read about how people are making money on Wall Street basing their buys on the idea that Trump Always Chickens Out (TACO). With the Chrisley pardons, President Trump proved that he has zero integrity. The people who were defrauded of millions will never get their money back. If it's possible to have negative integrity, Trump is the charter member of the group. If there's one thing we should have learned by now, it's that Democrats will do anything to win an election. Considering the person in charge of the scheme admitted to it in print and on camera, I'm having trouble figuring out how anyone could say there isn't election fraud in Gulfport. Candidates have always held events where their 'patrons' donate and pledge their support. Is that voter fraud? The GOP in Gulfport is making accusations of voter fraud already. President Trump used that to push the lie that he won the 2020 election. Now he is in office selling everything that is not nailed down. Republicans must be really scared of the Black woman winning the mayors race in Gulfport. Wasn't Elon Musk trying to buy votes in Wisconsin? When Democrats use the Republican play book, they really get upset.. I'm old enough to remember when Elon Musk traveled the country handing out checks to people. I'm trying to figure out why that would be OK, but free meals aren't. I trust that the good people of Gulfport are smart enough to not vote for Hugh Keating, who, obviously, doesn't have enough merits to run on his own. Stephen A Smith said it best: 'How can anyone trust the lying media, Trump was right, they can't be trusted about anything!'Our country was manipulated by them. Why can't Canal Road in Gulfport be paved to 28th Street? Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@
Miami Herald
20 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Your Car Loan Just Got Cheaper as New Bill Allows Tax Write-offs on Interest
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed President Trump's sweeping tax bill, nicknamed the "Big Beautiful Bill," which includes an above-the-line deduction of up to $10,000 in car loan interest. In other words, taxpayers who itemize deductions or claim the standard deduction wouldn't pay tax on auto loan interest up to $10,000. However, your income and the vehicle type you purchase determine your eligibility. The deduction would be phased out by $200 for every $1,000 of modified adjusted gross income above $100,000 for single filers and $200,000 for joint filers, according to the Tax Foundation. Single filers earning above $149,000 and joint filers making over $249,000 wouldn't qualify for an auto loan interest write-off. Qualifying individuals or joint filers could receive the deduction for auto loans taken out in 2025 through 2028 each year until the temporary write-off expires, the Detroit Free Press reports. Additionally, the deduction only applies to cars with their final assembly in the United States. Qualifying vehicle types include SUVs, cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, all-terrain models, and RVs. If the proposed legislation passes through the Senate and becomes law, drivers can expect to receive the highest deduction during a loan's first year since most monthly payments cover interest rather than principal. The average new car loan for May carries a 4.77% average interest rate for those with a FICO credit score ranging from 781 to 850, according to Bankrate. A credit score between 661 and 780 incurs a 6.40% rate, and the next-lowest tier, 601 to 660, jumps to 9.59%. Credit scores between 501 and 600 carry a 13.08% average interest rate on a new car loan, while 300 to 500 ratings incur a 15.75% rate. If the average driver pays $2,000 on auto loan interest in a year, they'd save $400 on their taxes. Leases, commercial vehicles, and salvage titles would not qualify for auto loan interest deductions. Whether the bill includes interest deductions for used vehicles or only new ones is unclear. While all Americans would welcome auto loan interest write-offs, Trump's bill also proposes that hybrid owners pay $100 more yearly to register their car, and electric vehicle (EV) owners pay a $250 annual registration fee. The fees are projected to generate around $40 billion over the next decade for the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which pays for various transportation infrastructure projects. While many Americans would welcome auto loan interest tax write-offs, a deduction that hasn't been available since Ronald Reagan's presidency, the proposed legislation's impact appears relatively minimal. "I don't know of many people who would decide that they can buy a car because they're going to cut their taxes by $400. So, we don't think it's as exciting a proposition for driving more vehicle sales," Cox Automotive chief economist Jonathan Smoke said, according to Bankrate. Additionally, the expected sharp rise in already-high vehicle prices due to Trump's auto import tariffs would further offset any savings. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
