States Sue EV Funds, 65K DC Chargers, Oslo Model, 2026 Outlook

Introduction

The EV charging industry closes out 2025 with both challenges and milestones as 16 states sue the federal government over more than $2 billion in withheld charging infrastructure funds, while the U.S. surpasses 65,000 DC fast-charging stalls representing 28.5 percent growth this year. Meanwhile, Oslo's success as the world's EV capital offers a model for infrastructure development, and industry analysts release predictions for 2026. At Shaffer Construction, Inc., we track these developments to help Los Angeles property owners understand the evolving charging landscape and make informed decisions about their commercial EV charger installations and residential charging solutions. This week we examine the funding dispute's implications, celebrate infrastructure milestones, and look ahead to trends shaping next year.

16 States Sue Over $2 Billion in Withheld EV Charging Funds

Fifteen states, the governor of Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against federal agencies on December 16 for blocking funds allocated for electric vehicle charging station programs. The suit claims the Trump administration has unconstitutionally withheld funding for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program and the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator Program, totaling approximately $2.15 billion. Plaintiffs argued the administration's actions constitute impoundment, violating separation of powers principles. Source: CNBC.

The lawsuit is led by attorneys general from California and Colorado, joined by Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. California alone stands to lose $179.8 million in direct allocations, with specific awards in jeopardy including $59.3 million for freight corridor charging and $63.1 million earmarked for repairing broken public chargers. This follows a June court ruling that declared the administration's freezing of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program funds unlawful and restored about $1 billion to states that had sued. Source: JURIST.

For California property owners, the funding dispute creates uncertainty around federally-supported charging infrastructure expansion while highlighting the importance of private investment in charging capabilities. As we covered in our analysis of California incentive programs, state and utility programs including LADWP and Southern California Edison rebates remain available independent of federal funding disputes. Properties that invest in charging infrastructure using available state incentives position themselves ahead of the growing EV fleet regardless of federal policy outcomes.

U.S. Surpasses 65,000 DC Fast-Charging Stalls with Record 2025 Growth

The number of publicly accessible DC fast-charging stalls in the United States exceeded 65,000 before year-end, representing roughly 14,500 or 28.5 percent more than the approximately 51,000 stalls at the beginning of 2025. The expansion continues at an average rate of about 45 new stalls per day, with stations becoming larger than ever. The U.S. is on track to add 16,700 public fast-charging ports this year, approximately 2.4 times the number added in 2022. At this pace, the country will have 100,000 public fast-charging ports by 2027. Source: EV Charging Stations.

Tesla's Supercharging network remains the largest with over 34,700 stalls and 53 percent market share, down from 57 percent at the beginning of 2025 as competitors expand. More than two-thirds of Tesla Superchargers in North America are now open to non-Tesla EVs. Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint follow with between 4,375 and 5,228 charging ports each, while Blink ranks fifth with fewer than 1,900 stalls. Contributing to growth are Charging 2.0 companies including IONNA, Mercedes-Benz High Power Charging, bp pulse, and Walmart with branded stations. Source: InsideEVs.

Rising utilization rates mark a significant milestone, with many stations in major markets like San Francisco and Los Angeles seeing rates as high as 80 percent compared to the 15 to 20 percent industry benchmark for break-even. For property owners, high utilization in California markets demonstrates strong demand for charging access. The expanding public fast-charging network complements destination charging at properties where vehicles park for extended periods, creating a comprehensive ecosystem that supports EV adoption.

Oslo's EV Charging Success Offers Model for Infrastructure Development

Oslo currently has the highest charger density in Europe, earning the title of EV capital of the world with more than 2,600 public charging points. Bloomberg profiled the city's charging czar Sture Portvik, who explained how government investment has paid off. A broad political settlement between all parties created stability and consistency over time, with the national government making EVs affordable to buy while the city made them affordable to use, practical, and convenient. Source: Bloomberg.

Oslo's comprehensive incentive package boosted EV adoption through zero purchasing tax, no value-added tax, free parking, no road tax, free charging initially, and access to bus lanes. The city pioneered intelligent charging solutions with dynamic pricing that encourages drivers to charge at off-peak times, preventing bottlenecks and maximizing climate benefits. Oslo's Climate Agency partnered with AI-powered spatial intelligence platforms to enhance infrastructure planning, unifying fragmented charger data into a single platform for trend analysis and resource sharing. Heavy-duty vehicle electrification also accelerated, with electric and biogas vehicles growing from 5 percent share in 2020 to 36 percent in 2025. Source: Klimaetaten Oslo.

Key lessons from Oslo include building infrastructure early to reduce range anxiety and signal commitment to EV drivers, placing chargers in both busy areas and residential zones, and thinking beyond private cars to electrify buses, taxis, delivery vans, and trucks. For Los Angeles property owners, Oslo's success demonstrates that robust, widely available charging networks attract and retain EV-driving residents, employees, and customers. Shaffer Construction performs comprehensive electrical load studies to help property owners plan charging installations that serve diverse vehicle types.

WS Development Partners with Electrify America for Retail Charging

WS Development, a mixed-use development firm owning and operating more than 100 properties spanning urban, lifestyle, and community centers, has announced a partnership with Electrify America to deploy 350-kilowatt DC fast-charging stations at retail destinations beginning this winter. EV chargers will be installed across over 15 WS Development properties, starting in early 2026 with The Shops at Blackstone Valley in Millbury, Massachusetts, Walmart Plaza in Salem, Massachusetts, and The Street Chestnut Hill. Additional locations are planned in Massachusetts, New York, Florida, Illinois, and California. Source: EV Charging Stations.

Electrify America's white label solution enables WS Development to operate its own charging network while leveraging Electrify America's technology, network scale, and seamless experience. The new infrastructure will integrate with Electrify America's network, which includes more than 5,000 stalls at over 1,080 locations in the U.S. and Canada. This partnership follows Electrify America's collaboration with Simon Property Group that surpassed 500 hyper-fast chargers at shopping centers.

For retail property owners in Los Angeles, the WS Development partnership demonstrates how charging infrastructure enhances the customer experience while creating additional amenities that drive foot traffic. As we discussed in our analysis of Tesla's Supercharger for Business program, multiple models exist for property owners to deploy charging ranging from owned-and-operated to white-label partnerships with established networks.

2026 EV Charging Industry Predictions and Trends

Industry analysts project EVs will account for 11.8 percent of total U.S. vehicle sales in 2026, up from 9.1 percent in 2025, with growth to 26 percent by 2030. Ultra-fast charging delivering 350 kilowatts or more is gaining traction, with approximately 20 percent of ultra-fast chargers in the European Union already at this level. Wireless charging becomes a genuine option in 2026 with Porsche's 22-kilowatt inductive charging system featuring automated positioning support. Source: Driivz.

Solid-state battery EVs from Toyota and others are expected to reach market in 2026, delivering ranges over 500 miles and charging times approaching 10 minutes with improved safety and thermal control. Sodium-ion batteries will enter mass production as a low-cost alternative to lithium-ion. Fleet electrification will transition from pilot programs to depot-wide conversions as battery electric vans and trucks reach total cost of ownership parity. Multi-fuel hybrid stations combining EV, hydrogen, and traditional fuels are moving from concept to implementation. Source: Industry Analysts.

AI-enhanced capabilities will help multi-site networks and fleet managers reduce operating costs while improving charger availability and uptime. Charging locations are evolving beyond cold, poorly lit charging-only spots to comfortable rest hubs with cafés, clean facilities, WiFi, and seating. Nissan announced reasonably priced bidirectional charging on select EV models by 2026, enabling vehicle-to-grid technology that allows vehicles to power homes or sell electricity back to the grid. For property owners, these trends signal continued infrastructure maturation that enhances the value of charging investments.

What These Developments Mean for Los Angeles Property Owners

This week's developments highlight several important themes for property owners evaluating charging infrastructure investments. The federal funding dispute creates uncertainty around government-supported expansion but does not affect state and utility incentive programs available in California. Properties that invest using LADWP, Southern California Edison, and federal tax credits available through June 2026 capture available benefits regardless of NEVI program outcomes.

The U.S. surpassing 65,000 DC fast-charging stalls with 28.5 percent growth in 2025 demonstrates the charging network's rapid expansion. High utilization rates in California markets reaching 80 percent validate strong demand for charging access. Properties with charging capabilities join this expanding ecosystem while serving the growing EV driver population.

Oslo's success as the world's EV capital demonstrates that comprehensive charging infrastructure attracts and retains EV-driving residents and customers. Early investment in charging capabilities signals commitment to sustainability and positions properties competitively as EV adoption continues accelerating.

The WS Development and Electrify America partnership shows how retail property owners can enhance customer experience through charging amenities. Multiple deployment models from owned infrastructure to white-label partnerships provide flexibility for different property types and investment approaches.

Conclusion

As 2025 draws to a close, the EV charging industry demonstrates both challenges and resilience. While 16 states sue over $2 billion in withheld federal funds, the U.S. has surpassed 65,000 DC fast-charging stalls with record growth, and Oslo's success offers a model for infrastructure development. Industry predictions for 2026 point toward ultra-fast charging, solid-state batteries, fleet electrification, and improved charging experiences. For Los Angeles property owners, these trends reinforce the strategic value of investing in EV charging infrastructure while utility rebate programs remain available and before charging access becomes a standard expectation rather than a competitive differentiator.

Ready to explore EV charging options for your Los Angeles property? Contact Shaffer Construction, Inc. for a complimentary site assessment and expert guidance on selecting the right charging solution for your needs.

Shaffer Construction, Inc.
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