The administration of President Donald Trump has announced a proposal to tighten domestic sourcing requirements for electric vehicle (EV) chargers funded with federal money, raising the required US-made content from 55 percent to as much as 100 percent.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the Department of Transportation plans to expand an existing Buy America public interest waiver covering EV charging equipment. The change would apply to projects supported through federal transport programmes once the revised waiver is finalised.
Under the proposal, EV chargers purchased or installed using funds administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) would need to be manufactured in the United States, with all component costs counted towards domestic content requirements.
The update is intended to support US manufacturing capacity, encourage domestic supply chains and address security concerns linked to imported components. Officials stated that industry has had sufficient time to increase US-based production capability since the earlier waiver framework was introduced in 2023.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said:We’ve already updated the guidance, slashed red tape, and made it easier for states to efficiently build out this infrastructure – delivering nearly double the amount of charging ports completed during the Biden Administration. Now we’re ensuring that if Congress wants to see these chargers built, we put America First. Doing so will unleash American manufacturing, protect our national security, and prevent taxpayer dollars from subsidising our foreign adversaries.
The proposal would modify the Buy America waiver for EV chargers first published in the Federal Register on 21 February 2023. The department has issued a formal notice of the proposed modification and is expected to collect feedback before adopting a final rule.
