Detroit, USA: Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors has agreed to pay $1.6 billion and plead guilty to deceiving US regulators by falsifying emissions and fuel consumption data from its diesel engines. This resolution includes a five-year ban on exporting diesel engines to the United States.
The charges, filed in a Detroit court, revealed that Hino sold 105,000 illegal engines in the US between 2010 and 2022. The settlement, which still requires court approval, also includes commitments to rectify environmental damage caused by the fraud.
The US Justice Department described Hino’s actions as a “criminal conspiracy,” accusing the company of submitting “false and fraudulent” emissions data to gain a competitive edge.
FBI Director Christopher Wray condemned the scheme, stating that, “Hino Motors engaged in a years-long scheme to alter and fabricate emissions data in order to boost their bottom line, violating laws and regulations intended to protect Americans’ health and the environment.”
As part of the agreement, Hino will implement a compliance and ethics plan during the export ban period and recall heavy-duty trucks with affected engines. Additionally, the company will replace non-compliant marine and locomotive engines in the US to offset environmental harm.
Satoshi Ogiso, Hino’s president and CEO, issued a formal apology, saying, “We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers and stakeholders.” He also pledged to strengthen the company’s compliance systems and carry out the required environmental mitigation programs.
Hino disclosed in October that it had reported an extraordinary loss of 230 billion yen (£1.2bn, $1.48bn) in its financial results to address legal costs arising from the scandal.
This case is the latest in a series of emissions scandals involving major automakers. The Volkswagen “dieselgate” scandal, which implicated brands such as Audi, Porsche, and Skoda, resulted in over 30 billion euros (£25bn, $30.9bn) in fines, recalls, and customer compensation globally.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emphasized the severity of Hino’s misconduct and highlighted the importance of the required corrective measures to protect the environment.
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