Elon Musk, the Man Who Wants to Cancel EV Subsidies, Is Mad Tesla Was Denied Subsidies

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Elon Musk isn’t shy about speaking his mind, especially when it comes to the government. Lately, the Tesla CEO has been cozying up to President-elect Donald Trump, even calling for an end to the electric vehicle tax credit—a move Trump supports.

Despite this stance against subsidies, Musk is frustrated that Tesla was left out of the latest round of EV charger funding, InsideEVs reports.

In the final days of the Biden administration, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced $636 million for 49 EV charger projects across the U.S. Tesla’s proposal, seeking $100 million for its electric semi-charging corridor between California and Texas, didn’t make the cut.

This project, dubbed TESSERACT, planned to build nine charging stops with eight 750-kilowatt chargers at each station, accessible to all-electric Semi trucks to meet federal requirements.

This isn’t the first time Tesla’s been passed over. The DOT also rejected their funding request twice in 2024 and once in early 2025. Musk, who’s been vocal about ending EV subsidies, seemed less than pleased when Tesla was overlooked again, taking to his platform, X, to express his dissatisfaction.

Sean Duffy, Trump’s nominee for Transportation Secretary, argues that EV owners should contribute more to road maintenance.

Currently, gas taxes fund much of the country’s road upkeep, but with more people driving EVs, these revenues are dwindling. Duffy acknowledges the challenge of figuring out how to fairly tax EV drivers without traditional fuel taxes.

Finding a way for EVs to pay their share of road maintenance is tricky. With most EV charging happening at home, taxing public chargers isn’t enough.

Some states charge high annual registration fees, but adding federal fees could make EV ownership less appealing. The government is still searching for a practical solution to this growing problem.

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Mark is the kind of person who gets way too excited about new software updates and can’t resist taking apart gadgets—just to see if they can put them back together. With years of experience in tech journalism and a love for all things digital, Mark writes about the stories behind the screens, from game-changing innovations to the everyday tech that keeps life running smoothly. Outside of work, they’re the go-to “tech support” for friends and family, whether it’s fixing a printer that won’t cooperate or explaining why Grandma’s laptop keeps showing pop-ups. When Mark isn’t glued to their screen, they’re probably building their dream PC, rewatching sci-fi movies for the hundredth time, or testing a gadget that promises to “change everything.” Spoiler: they’ll let you know if it actually does.