CLEVELAND — We’ve heard you tell us higher gas prices have made it tough on your budgets. So tough, some car buyers have shown more interest in electric vehicles recently.
With that in mind, we did a deeper dive into a national program to help EV owners with electric charging, but there are concerns about big business getting big tax breaks.
We caught up with New Hampshire native Brandon McCrum, who was in Cleveland for a conference.
“We manufacture truck caps. We’ve actually got one of them on the Silverado EVs,” said McCrum, who works for LTA Manufacturing.
While on his business trip, he was using an app to map out where he could charge up that EV.
He was heading for home.
“I will find out over the next 24 to 48 hours…,” said McCrum.
“If there are enough charging stations out there, huh?” we asked.
“Yeah, and it does seem like in Cleveland there’s not as many,” he told us.
NEVI AND DRIVE OHIO
From 2022 to 2026, the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Drive Ohio division reported our state received $140 million from the federal government through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, otherwise known as NEVI.
Drive Ohio has been in charge of the funds, such as finding places for new charging stations, getting bids, and building them out.
Santos Ramos is the project manager.
“Build a reliable and strong EV charging network that can then support those Ohioans that choose to drive electric,” said Ramos.
By the end of 2026, Drive Ohio reported that 31 NEVI stations would have been built, and Ramos said each would cost roughly $1 million.
Five stations so far are in Northeast Ohio, with three of them at Pilot Travel Centers.
All funding recipients get 80% of the building costs covered by tax dollars.
Pilot received $600,000 to $800,000 per build in Northeast Ohio.
There’s all this money, but electric cars are roughly only 3% of all cars on the road in the U.S., according to multiple reports.
CRITICS SAY GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES ARE NOT GOOD
“Americans really lack the desire for a large scale adoption of electric vehicles,” said David McGarry from the watchdog group Taxpayers Protection Alliance. He said his organization is not a fan of the NEVI program.
He told us the economy has shown demand for EVs dropped when federal discounts to buy them disappeared.
Some companies are and have been cutting back on their EV models.
McGarry said when corporate subsidies get involved, it’s not good. “The federal government wants Americans to want something,” he said. “You tend to see inefficiencies. You tend to see biggest benefits going to the biggest corporations.”
Reports showed Pilot Travel Centers made more than $42 billion in 2025. Its own website said it’s “the largest network of travel centers” with more than 900 locations.
Berkshire Hathaway owns it now, a company formerly run by mega-billionaire Warren Buffett.
WHAT DO EV SUPPORTERS TELL US?
We asked Santos about big companies receiving large amounts of taxpayer money.
“I think that’s a fair point to bring up,” said Ramos. “They’re federal funds that run through us, and we’re just trying our best to make the use of essentially these funds.”
Rap Hankins is the President of the EV Association of Ohio, who told us that, between NEVI and private investments, it’s getting easier to travel for Ohio EV users.
He said the NEVI program is pennies compared to what’s given to corporations involved with gas and oil, and that EV stations promote growth.
“If people can’t drive their electric cars and not have charges in the State of Ohio, you’re going to have billions of dollars not come to this community,” said Hankins.
Car dealerships selling EVs like Tim Lally Chevrolet in Warrensville Heights told us that higher-priced oil these days has an impact.
“With the rise in gas prices, it’s kind of given way to a renewed interest,” said Brody Lally.
He told us that General Motors is kicking in its own incentives and that the NEVI program could help alleviate a main concern for potential buyers: where do I charge on long trips?
“I think the more that those are built and kind of advertised to people, the more that it’s going to help bring this market back to life,” said Lally.
Drive Ohio recently announced plans to build 64 new NEVI charging stations across the state over the next couple of years.
'GOVERNMENT...MUCKING UP EVERYDAY BUSINESS'
The list also includes many more major tax breaks for big businesses, something the Taxpayers Protection Alliance said blocks regular citizens from coming up with their own solutions.
“That’s a really beautiful process. That’s what this country was made on and I hate to see the government getting involved and mucking up the everyday business of the American people,” said McGarry.
For McCrum, he said he personally doesn’t own an EV, but building more chargers could spark better interest. “There has to be more investment in that for EV to really take off,” he told us.
We asked for an interview with Pilot Travel Centers. It chose not to go on-camera. Pilot sent a statement that said in part that NEVI has helped “further its commitment to building a connected highway charging experience for long-distance EV travelers.” (full statement below)
Those who get the NEVI chargers will then own, maintain, and operate them. Customers then pay to fuel up their cars.
Pilot Travel Centers Statement:
“Pilot is dedicated to being the leading energy and experience provider for all drivers. Programs like NEVI help advance publicly available infrastructure development, enabling Pilot to further its commitment to building a connected highway charging experience for long-distance EV travelers.”
Additional Information:
- Since we announced plans for our EV fast-charging network, we have been opening new sites monthly and are continuously working to connect more major highways and thoroughfares nationwide.
- Pilot’s network currently offers EV charging at more than 270 locations in 40 states.
- Pilot has used NEVI funding to build 34 EV charging locations.
- Pilot offers the amenities and convenience that EV drivers need and deserve to make long road trips a convenient reality.
