Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian has launched legal action against the United States government, seeking a full refund for tariffs it paid under the Trump administration's 'Liberation Day' taxes. The lawsuit, filed in the US Court of International Trade, names the US government, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and its commissioner Rodney Scott as defendants. Rivian's Chief Financial Officer, Claire McDonough, stated in April that the company anticipates a refund in the "tens of millions of dollars."
The tariffs in question were imposed by the Trump administration, which attempted to justify them under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). However, the US Supreme Court subsequently ruled these taxes unconstitutional. Rivian's legal filing highlights that despite the Supreme Court's decision, importers who paid IEEPA tariffs are not automatically guaranteed a refund of the amounts previously paid, necessitating this separate legal action.
This move by Rivian places it among a growing number of companies pursuing similar refunds. CBP has acknowledged that over $121 billion in both "potential and certified refunds have been accepted for processing." However, the Cato Institute noted earlier this month that only $71 billion had been paid out, suggesting that "frictions built into" the refund process have created "obstacles for importers seeking refunds."
Rivian's lawsuit requests the trade court to declare the tariffs "contrary to law," mandate a refund with interest, and cover any associated court fees. The company's CEO, RJ Scaringe, commented last year that the tariffs initially increased the cost of each vehicle by "a couple of thousand dollars," although by the end of 2025, the impact had been mitigated to "low hundreds of dollars." Rivian also previously stated in a regulatory filing that the "resulting environment of retaliatory trade or other practices or additional trade restrictions or barriers has harmed, and could continue to harm, our ability to obtain necessary raw materials, components and equipment and could harm our ability to sell our products and services at prices customers are willing to pay."
The lawsuit comes as Rivian is in the process of rolling out its first mass-market SUV, the R2, with expectations to ship between 20,000 and 25,000 units by the end of this year. The company hopes this will contribute to achieving profitability, though this goal may not be realised until 2028 as significant investments are being made in autonomous vehicle development. Rivian recently raised approximately $1.3 billion through share sales to bolster its cash reserves.