KATHMANDU: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against major oil companies, accusing them of working together for decades to block competition from renewable energy and electric vehicles, according to global media reports.
The lawsuit names BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and the American Petroleum Institute (API). It claims the companies acted like a cartel by limiting the growth of renewable energy and slowing the development of electric vehicles.
According to the complaint, these actions delayed the transition to clean energy and prolonged the United States’ dependence on fossil fuels.
The suit states that Exxon’s internal research in 1979 had already warned that renewable energy could become a strong competitor to fossil fuels.
Chevron is also accused of delaying EV progress. The lawsuit claims the company acquired key patents related to nickel-metal hydride rechargeable batteries. These patents were then used to limit the use of this technology in automobiles.
The report also points to recent policy changes in the United States. Under the Trump administration, several steps were taken to ease pressure on automakers to build electric vehicles. These actions also made EVs more expensive for buyers.
Earlier, the Biden administration had introduced rules that required automakers to gradually increase EV production. Those rules have since faced rollbacks.
The case highlights growing concerns about the role of oil companies and government policies in slowing the transition to electric mobility.
