As a result of the scheme, Hino Motors imported and sold more than 105,000 heavy-duty diesel engines into the United States between 2010 and 2022 that did not meet emissions standards. The engines were primarily installed in heavy-duty trucks made by the company, the DOJ said.
Hino must pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million and serve a five-year term of probation, during which it is prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has manufactured into the United States. The company must also implement a “comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure,” the department said.
The court also issued a $1.087 billion forfeiture money judgment against the company.
The engineers regularly altered emissions test data, conducted tests improperly, and fabricated data without performing any underlying tests, court records state.
The workers also submitted false carbon dioxide emissions test data, leading to inaccurate fuel consumption values for the engines. They also failed to disclose software functions that could negatively impact emission control systems.
“Hino unlawfully imported over 105,000 engines that did not comply with U.S. emissions standards and lied about what it was doing,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said in a statement.
“Hino’s criminal conduct gave it an unfair business advantage over other law-abiding companies, including American companies, and generated over $1 billion in gross proceeds. ... We are committed to upholding the rule of law by prosecuting fraud and enforcing our Clean Air Act emissions standards.”
Hino Motors CEO and President Satoshi Ogiso said the company had implemented various reforms to its internal culture, oversight, and compliance practices to prevent a similar issue from occurring in the future.
“This resolution is a significant milestone toward resolving legacy issues that we have worked hard to ensure are no longer a part of Hino’s operations or culture,” Ogiso said. “We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers and stakeholders.”
As part of its settlement with U.S. agencies—including the Environmental Protection Agency, DOJ, and California Air Resources Board—the vehicle manufacturer must implement a mitigation program, valued at $155 million, to offset excess air emissions from the violations.
Under that program, Hino must replace marine and locomotive engines, install locomotive idle reduction technology systems throughout 49 states, and reduce more than 41,000 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions, which are associated with serious health effects, including asthma attacks and respiratory illnesses, according to the DOJ.
The company must also implement a vehicle recall program, valued at $144.2 million, to modify 2017–2019 model year engines so that they comply with U.S. and California emissions laws, and pay out $123.6 million to fund mitigation projects and enforcement costs in California.
Hino must also pay $30.3 million to resolve California False Claims Act claims.
The Epoch Times contacted Toyota and Hino for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
