Rivian is taking the U.S. government to court in an effort to recover millions of dollars it paid under President Donald Trump’s now-invalidated “Liberation Day” tariffs.
The automaker filed a lawsuit on Thursday in the U.S. Court of International Trade, arguing that despite the Supreme Court ruling the tariffs unconstitutional, businesses that already paid them are not automatically guaranteed to receive their money back.
The lawsuit, first reported by TechCrunch, names the U.S. government, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott as defendants. Rivian is asking the court to declare the tariffs unlawful, order a full refund with interest, and require the government to cover its legal costs.
Rivian’s legal filing argues that a separate court action is necessary because companies that paid tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) still face uncertainty over whether they will actually receive refunds.
The automaker has previously said the potential payout is significant. During its April earnings call, Rivian Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Claire McDonough estimated the company could recover “tens of millions of dollars” if the tariffs were repaid.
While the Supreme Court’s decision invalidated the tariffs, the refund process has been moving slowly. According to CBP, more than $121 billion in potential and certified refunds have been accepted for processing, but estimates suggest only about $70 billon has been repaid so far.
The lawsuit comes as Rivian ramps production of its new R2 SUV, which the company expects to deliver between 20,000 and 25,000 units before the end of the year. Rivian had to temporarily pause some R2 deliveries due to a paint quality issue.
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