Maryland’s NEVI Program is back on track and now well underway. (Jessie Karangu/MDOT)

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, or NEVI, may not be a household name for every Marylander, but the federally funded program is one of Maryland’s best not-so-secret tools available to the state as we work to create a reliable, accessible, and convenient public charging network. Soon, you may even spy evidence of the NEVI network during your next road trip or grocery store run because, despite what you may have seen or heard, the Maryland NEVI Program is back on track. 

So, what is NEVI? Established by the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021, the NEVI Program provides formula funding to states to strategically deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network nationwide geared towards facilitating data collection, access and reliability. For Maryland, this means the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is responsible for investing roughly $63 million first in high power fast chargers at least every 50 miles along the state’s major highways, and later in lower power Level 2 chargers throughout different communities. 

This program, and other targeted state investments, will increase range confidence for both current and future EV drivers in Maryland while supporting clean transportation to meet the state’s climate goals. The transportation sector, which is the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounts for 40 percent of GHG emissions in Maryland. Electrifying the fleet of vehicles traveling throughout the state therefore represents a critical path to achieving our bold climate agenda. NEVI supports this mission by providing critical charging infrastructure to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.

Round 1 NEVI chargers currently under construction in Grantsville. (Lanny Hartmann/MD EV Driver)

As my colleague Morgan Ellis said in MDOT’s blog post published in May, Maryland is pressing forward with the NEVI Program using restored funds and remains open for business to the EV charging industry. MDOT is currently accepting proposals through August 27 at 12:00 P.M. local time for a second round of NEVI investments. These investments will continue to build out corridor charging and add to the existing 22 Round 1 projects already underway. 

Construction on Round 1 projects began in June at the Pilot Travel Center in Grantsville. Groundbreakings at other project sites, which include Wawa and Royal Farms across 15 counties in the state, will follow suit over the next few months. In Spring 2026, Marylanders can begin charging at these NEVI-funded stations. 

To follow Maryland’s NEVI journey, consider joining MDOT’s EV Plan mailing list for the latest updates.

Amanda Hinh is a Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program Manager at the Maryland Department of Transportation.