Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against multiple heavy-duty truck manufacturers. The lawsuit asserted that the manufacturers “conspired” to restrict the availability of diesel-powered semi-trucks in support of California’s Advanced Clean Fleets regulation, which mandates a transition to electric trucks by 2035.

Hilgers stated that the “conspiracy” violated US antitrust laws by “unreasonably restrain[ing] trade.” He claimed the agreement raised prices, reduced output, and imposed additional costs on businesses and consumers, harming Nebraska’s logistics, agriculture, and biofuel sectors.

Hilgers supported the argument by stating that “[d]efendants are an oligopoly in Nebraska’s market,” accounting for the vast majority of trucks on the road. Thus, Nebraskans have no choice but to accept the manufacturer’s goals. Additionally, he argued that the manufacturers would intentionally raise prices on combustion vehicles while reducing output, placing the transition costs and strain on businesses and individuals.

The lawsuit also stated that Nebraska and many other states were not equipped to transition to electric trucks as no fueling infrastructure exists to support the vehicles outside of California. He said that electric vehicles were “not an alternative product” for Nebraskans due to the lack of available refueling stations. However, the 2023 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law committed $7.5 billion to standardize and install 500,000 electric charging stations across the US.

The Biden administration advanced several initiatives to reduce vehicle and other harmful emissions. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to “end Biden’s assault on the internal combustion engine.”