Feb 9 (Reuters) - Chinese automaker BYD (002594.SZ) has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government challenging President Donald Trump’s bid to use sweeping authority to impose tariffs, and requesting a refund for all levies it paid since last April, court documents show. The lawsuit, the first by a Chinese carmaker over U.S. tariffs, follows similar complaints by thousands of global companies with U.S. operations challenging Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose border taxes.
In the lawsuit filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade on January 26, four of BYD’s U.S. subsidiaries argue that the law does not authorize border taxes as “the text of IEEPA does not employ the word “tariff” or any term of equivalent meaning”. In a separate, high-stakes case, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of the tariffs, but Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said last week the court was taking its time given the “enormous” stakes involved.
BYD said in the lawsuit that it had to file an independent complaint to protect its ability to be refunded for the tariffs it has already paid.
While the Chinese carmaker does not sell passenger cars in the U.S., its business in the country includes buses and commercial vehicles, batteries, energy storage systems and solar panels.
Its unit BYD North America employs 750 workers in its truck plant in Lancaster, California, according to its website. Trump repeatedly said Chinese cars threaten the future of the U.S. auto industry, but has said a few times that he would welcome a Chinese automaker that wants to build cars on U.S. soil.
The case is No. 26-00847 at the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York.

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Chinese automaker BYD has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, challenging President Trump's tariffs and seeking a refund for levies paid since April. This marks the first lawsuit by a Chinese carmaker regarding U.S. tariffs. BYD argues that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize border taxes. The case is currently pending in the U.S. Court of International Trade, while the U.S. Supreme Court is also reviewing the legality of the tariffs. BYD operates in the U.S. through its subsidiaries, focusing on buses, commercial vehicles, and energy solutions.

- Chinese automaker BYD has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, challenging the use of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump and seeking refunds for levies paid since April.  
- This lawsuit is the first from a Chinese car manufacturer and follows numerous complaints from global companies contesting the legality of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.  
- Although BYD does not sell passenger cars in the U.S., it operates in the commercial vehicle sector and employs 750 workers at its truck plant in California.

BYD files lawsuit, seeks refund over Trump's US auto tariffs