Established by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program provides $28.5 million in combined federal and state funding to Rhode Island. During Phase 1, a portion of this funding was used to develop the Alternative Fuel Corridor. In the summer of 2024, Rhode Island became the first state in the nation to complete Phase 1 by installing fast chargers at two Park & Ride locations.

Phase 2A Application Intake Period Now Closed

Rhode Island is proud to be the first state to launch Phase 2A, the Community Approach Phase of the NEVI Program.

Phase 2A is a competitive application program with an initial $8 million in funding to support the installation of at least 8 DC Fast Chargers and 75 Level 2 chargers across the state. This initiative will expand Rhode Island’s clean transportation infrastructure with publicly accessible, NEVI-compliant stations.

Eligible applicants include businesses, municipalities, academic institutions, non-profits, and federally-recognized Tribal organizations. The program offers up to 80% federal funding, with a required 20% applicant match—although additional matching contributions are encouraged.

The maximum funding per site is set at $1 million for DC Fast Chargers, $250,000 for Level 2 chargers, and up to $1.25 million for sites featuring a combination of both DC Fast Chargers and Level 2 chargers. Each location must include a minimum of 4 charging ports, which can be a mix of DC Fast Chargers and Level 2 units.

The application portal closed at 11:59 PM on August 15, 2025, in accordance with the NEVI Phase 2A Guidance. We are currently reviewing applications and anticipate making awards before October 1, 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact us at energy.rinevi@energy.ri.gov