Civil Penalties and Forfeiture Judgment
Beyond the criminal fine, Hino’s January settlement included a $525 million civil penalty to resolve claims brought jointly by the federal government and the state of California. The agreement also imposed a $1.087 billion forfeiture judgment, which will be considered satisfied as long as Hino pays at least that amount in settlements tied to private lawsuits stemming from the same fraudulent conduct.
The EPA has since revoked the emissions certificates for all affected vehicles, which include:
- 105,000 heavy-duty highway diesel engines (model years 2010-2019)
- 5,700 nonroad diesel engines (model years 2011-2019) used in forklifts, tractors, and other heavy machinery
Government Takes a Hard Line on Emissions Cheating
Hino’s guilty plea marks another chapter in the U.S. government’s crackdown on emissions fraud in the wake of the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” scandal. Regulators are aggressively pursuing automakers that skirt environmental laws, particularly as emissions cheating directly impacts air quality and public health.
No representatives from Hino or Toyota immediately responded to requests for comment.
