By David Piperno, CFO, SparkCharge
August 6, 2025
As the United States accelerates its transition to electric vehicles, the federal government’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program has been a cornerstone of early progress. Designed to create a nationwide network of publicly accessible DC fast chargers, NEVI aimed to eliminate range anxiety and enable broader EV adoption by both consumers and businesses with fleets.
However, recent policy changes and the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) on July 4, 2025 have fundamentally altered the landscape. Now, NEVI’s disrupted rollout combined with the rollback of federal EV incentives under OBBB are forcing companies with electric vehicle (EV) fleets to rapidly adapt their infrastructure strategies.
NEVI, launched in 2022 with $5 billion in federal funding, was intended to build DC fast charging stations every 50 miles along major highway corridors. While it saw early momentum, the program was paused in early 2025 when the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) rescinded its implementation guidance. At the time of the freeze, only about 296 NEVI-funded chargers had been deployed nationwide, and more than $2.7 billion in funding remained uncommitted. Although a court injunction has since allowed some states to resume plan approvals, the program currently faces political and operational uncertainties.
For the EV charging sector, the most critical rollback within the OBBB is the early termination of the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit (§30C), a 30% tax credit for commercial and residential charger installation -now expiring on June 30, 2026. The bill also accelerates the end of EV purchase tax credits, with both new and used vehicle credits expiring on September 30, 2025, five years earlier than initially planned.
So now, EV charging infrastructure planning must adapt, and quickly. For companies operating electric fleets, NEVI’s uncertain rollout and the reduction of financial incentives make it less feasible to rely heavily on public-access or corridor-based charging. But the current administration’s attempt to set back the EV sector will likely only slow its growth, as many brands are expected to continue their transition to EVs while increasingly exploring ways to augment their existing infrastructure. One-way fleets are doing this is by supplementing depot charging with off-grid or mobile charging capabilities, to ensure reliability and scalability regardless of delays in publicly funded stations. Fleet owners and operators are taking the power back, quite literally.
As a result, we are beginning to see a clear and accelerating shift toward behind-the-fence installations. These are private, on-site charging solutions located at fleet depots, warehouses, and logistics hubs. While they come with their own costs and infrastructure challenges, behind-the-fence setups offer greater control, reliability, and integration with fleet operations. More importantly, they insulate companies from the policy-driven volatility that now characterizes federal charging initiatives.
Yet even depot charging has its limits, especially for companies with dynamic routes, multi-region operations, or limited access to high-capacity grid connections. That’s where off grid charging solutions are gaining traction. Systems that combine battery storage, mobile charging units, and renewable energy sources are proving to be both effective and flexible alternatives. These distributed energy systems can be deployed without waiting for utility upgrades, costly permitting, or public infrastructure delays. They also support resilience and continuity in remote or disaster-prone areas.
This off-grid trend reflects a broader structural shift toward energy independence in the EV ecosystem. As noted by distributed energy advocates, the rollback of centralized clean energy funding under OBBB has led businesses to prioritize resilience, lower operational risk, and localized energy solutions. For EV fleets, mobile and off-grid charging options offer a way to stay on track with electrification goals despite broader policy turbulence.
Additionally, many of the markets that benefit most from mobile or off-grid solutions, including ports, rideshare, and rural corridors, are the same markets currently underserved by both public infrastructure and utility investment. These areas often lack the permitting speed, load capacity, or policy support needed to make traditional fixed chargers viable in the near term. As federal investments slow and charger ROI calculations grow more complex, fleets are increasingly turning to providers who can deliver modular, rapidly deployable charging solutions without dependency on grid buildout timelines.
Public infrastructure still has a role to play. In the post-OBBB environment, it will likely serve as a secondary or backup layer, not the primary charging strategy for fleet operators. The burden of infrastructure development is shifting more squarely to the private sector, and with that comes both challenge and opportunity.
Companies that invest now in behind-the-fence and off-grid solutions will be better positioned to maintain operational continuity, scale their electrified fleets, and hedge against regulatory shifts. Meanwhile, providers who offer flexible, mobile, and integrated charging platforms will find themselves at the center of the next wave of EV infrastructure growth.
About the author
David Piperno serves as Chief Financial Officer at SparkCharge. He has over 20 years of experience in finance and technology for global brands including Zipcar, SparkCharge, Spartan and Deloitte. In addition, he is an existing angel investor and board member.
