Nebraska files antitrust lawsuit against heavy-duty truck makers over EV push (updated)

PACCAR

19/11/2024 17:58

* 
      State challenges 2023 deal between California Air
Resources
Board and manufacturer
    

        * 
      California still awaiting approval from EPA for fleet EV
rule
    

        * 
      Nebraska says companies colluded and will hike costs for
buyers
    

  
 (Adds no immediate comment from truck manufacturers,
California, more details on lawsuit in paragraphs 2, 4-11)
    By David Shepardson
       Nov 19 (Reuters) - Nebraska Attorney General Michael
Hilgers on Tuesday filed an antitrust lawsuit against some of
the largest heavy-duty truck manufacturers accusing them of
limiting the availability of diesel-powered semi-trucks in a
shift to clean electric trucks.
    The lawsuit says the truck makers are engaged in "an
industry-wide conspiracy" to phase out medium and heavy-duty
internal combustion vehicles, driven by California's green
regulations that aim to eventually end production of such
semi-trucks.
    The attorney general filed suit in state court against
Daimler  DTGGe.DE ; Navistar, a unit of Volkswagen's Traton
 8TRA.DE ; Paccar  PCAR.O ; Volvo Group North America
 VOLVb.ST ; and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association.
        "Eliminating diesel-powered semi-trucks is practically
impossible to accomplish and would impose enormous costs,"
Hilgers said. "These manufacturers' collusion will raise prices,
reduce output, increase costs on Nebraskans, and is a classic
antitrust violation."
  
        The 
    lawsuit takes aim at a July 2023 deal reached
     between California Air Resources Board and major truck
manufacturers and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association
that gave the industry flexibility to meet emissions
requirements.
  
        The companies agreed to meet California's vehicle
standards "regardless of whether any other entity challenges
California's authority to set more stringent emissions
standards," CARB said at the time.
  
        CARB and Paccar declined to comment. The other companies
and the association did not immediately comment.
  
        In March 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
approved California's plans to require a rising number of
zero-emission heavy-duty trucks. California is still awaiting
EPA approval for its Advanced Clean Fleets regulations on
phasing in use of zero emission medium-duty and heavy-duty
vehicles, and light-duty package delivery vehicles. The rule 
    would require manufacturers to only manufacture
     ZEV medium- and heavy-duty trucks starting in 2036.
  
        In May, Nebraska and 15 other states sued CARB over its
clean fleets rule.
  
        California Governor Gavin Newsom said last year that
half of all heavy duty trucks sold in California will be
electric by 2035. The state plans to mandate by 2045 that all
operations of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles be zero emission
where feasible.
  

 (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Richard Chang)
 ((David.Shepardson@thomsonreuters.com; 2028988324))