General Motors (GM) will pay nearly $146 million in penalties to the federal government due to 5.9 million of its older vehicles failing to meet emissions and fuel economy standards. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that certain GM vehicles from 2012 to 2018 did not comply with federal fuel economy requirements.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that these GM pickup trucks and SUVs emit over 10% more carbon dioxide than the company initially reported, and consume about 10% more fuel than advertised. Despite this, the EPA stated the vehicles would remain on the road and cannot be repaired.

The affected models, including the Chevy Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade, and Chevy Silverado, comprise about 4.6 million full-size pickups and SUVs, and 1.3 million midsize SUVs, covering approximately 40 variations of GM vehicles.

In response, GM asserted that it complied with all regulations during vehicle certification and emphasized that no wrongdoing had been admitted. The issue stemmed from changes in EPA testing procedures established in 2016. GM owners do not need to take any action as there are no defects in the vehicles.

The EPA also clarified that GM must surrender credits meant to ensure compliance with greenhouse gas emission standards. This settlement is expected to cost GM $490 million overall.

Environmental groups expressed skepticism about GM’s claim of innocence, while noting this incident underscores the importance of strong pollution regulations.