Toyota class action alleges automaker has monopoly on hydrogen fueling market

Toyota hydrogen fueling class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: A group of consumers filed a class action lawsuit against Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. and First Element Inc. 
• Why: The consumers claim Toyota pollutes the environment with its hydrogen-fueled Mirai vehicle and holds a monopoly over the hydrogen fueling market. 
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court. 

Toyota wastes millions of dollars and pollutes the environment with its hydrogen-fueled Mirai vehicle, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

A group of consumers from California claim Toyota “spins a web of lies” about the Mirai while exerting “unprecedented nefarious control over Californians.” 

“It is undeniable that Toyota is the only real player in the hydrogen fuel car market in the United States,” the Toyota class action says. 

The group argues Toyota does not produce clean hydrogen for its Mirai vehicles and blocks it from entering the market, which is paid for by taxpayers. 

The consumers want to represent a class of California taxpayers from 2011 or since Toyota began receiving hydrogen benefits from the state and a nationwide subclass of consumers who own or ever owned a Toyota Mirai vehicle. 

Toyota Mirai more pollutive than gas-powered vehicles, class action claims

The consumers argue hydrogen-fueled cars like the Toyota Mirai pollute the environment more than gas-powered vehicles and that the automaker argued for years—and to this day—that producing hydrogen fuel from fossil fuels was only a temporary step. 

“Toyota continues with their marketing saying these Mirais are zero emission vehicles and instead engaged in brinkmanship with carbon credit purchases and layers of nefarious control,” the Toyota class action says. 

The consumers claim Toyota is guilty of violating the Sherman Act, the Cartwright Act and the Magnuson Moss Act. 

The plaintiffs demand a jury trial and request injunctive and declaratory relief and an award of incidental, consequential, treble and punitive damages for themselves and all class members. 

A group of consumers filed a separate class action lawsuit against Toyota in July over claims the automaker falsely assured consumers who bought its Mirai vehicle that it would be easy to find hydrogen fuel. 

Have you ever owned a Toyota Mirai? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Jason M. Ingber of The Ingber Law Group. 

The Toyota hydrogen fueling class action lawsuit is Axelrod, et al. v. Lenovo (United States) Inc., Case No. 4:21-cv-06770, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

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