The electric automaker Rivian has sued the Trump administration to get a refund on tariffs it paid that the courts later ruled were illegal.
Rivian was forced to pay more for goods sourced from certain other countries — making it more expensive to produce its vehicles — because of President Trump’s tariffs, his signature economic policy.
But in February the U.S. Supreme Court ruled those policies, imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPPA), were unconstitutional. Companies have lined up for refunds since then, and some have filed lawsuits.
Rivian is now among them.
It’s unclear how much money Rivian is hoping to get back. Rivian’s complaint, filed Thursday in the U.S. Court of International Trade, does not give an exact dollar amount. It’s seeking the refund, plus interest and attorneys’ fees.
TechCrunch, which first reported the lawsuit, reported that Rivian’s chief financial officer previously said it would be in the “tens of millions of dollars.” Rivian has not responded to WGLT’s request for comment on the amount sought.
Named as defendants in Rivian’s lawsuit are the U.S. government, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Customs chief Rodney S. Scott.
Rivian makes its electric vans, trucks and SUVs in Normal, where it employs thousands of people.
