Chinese automaker BYD Co (HKG:1211, LSE:0HKY, OTCQX:BYDDY) has filed a lawsuit against the US government challenging tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump and requesting refunds for duties paid since April 2025.
The case was filed on January 26, 2026, in the US Court of International Trade by four of BYD’s American subsidiaries: BYD America, BYD Coach and Bus, BYD Energy, and BYD Motors.
The companies argue that the tariffs, enacted through nine executive orders under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), exceed presidential authority.
In its filing, BYD stated that “the text of IEEPA does not employ the word ’tariff’ or any term of equivalent meaning.” The lawsuit seeks to void the tariffs, stop their enforcement, and recover all duties paid with interest.
While BYD does not sell passenger cars in the US, it operates in buses, commercial vehicles, batteries, energy storage, and solar panels. The company employs about 750 workers at its truck plant in Lancaster, California. BYD said its independent complaint preserves its ability to seek refunds amid ongoing legal challenges by other companies.
This is the first tariff lawsuit in the United States brought by a Chinese automaker. Thousands of other global companies have separately challenged the Trump administration’s use of IEEPA to impose border taxes.
