Tesla has filed a bombshell lawsuit against its former supplier Matthews Internacional, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets related to electric vehicle battery technology and sharing them with Tesla’s competitors. The suit, filed Friday in California federal court, claims damages exceeding $1 billion, reports Reuters.

Según la denuncia, Matthews comenzó a suministrar a Tesla maquinaria de fabricación en 2019. Durante esta asociación, Tesla compartió información confidencial sobre su innovador proceso de recubrimiento de electrodos en seco, que puede reducir significativamente el tamaño de la planta de baterías, el coste, el uso de energía y el tiempo de producción, al tiempo que aumenta la densidad de energía y la potencia de las celdas de la batería.

However, Tesla alleges that Matthews betrayed their trust by selling “machines and other technologies embodying Tesla’s trade secrets” to unnamed rivals. The lawsuit also asserts that Matthews tried to claim Tesla’s inventions as its own in patent filings, revealing sensitive Tesla data.

In a statement Monday, Matthews called the lawsuit “simply a new tactic in their ongoing efforts to bully Matthews and improperly take Matthews’ valuable intellectual property.” The supplier vowed to “vigorously defend the matter.”

Tesla solicita una orden judicial para impedir que Matthews siga haciendo un uso indebido de sus secretos comerciales, la transferencia de solicitudes de patentes cuestionables y más de 1.400 millones de euros en concepto de daños y perjuicios. Los representantes de ambas empresas no respondieron inmediatamente a las solicitudes de comentarios adicionales.

EVXL’s Take

This high-stakes legal battle underscores the cutthroat competition and intellectual property wars raging in the rapidly evolving EV industry. As major automakers like Tesla race to develop cheaper, more efficient, longer-lasting batteries, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

If the allegations prove true, Matthews’ actions represent a serious breach of trust and confidentiality that could have far-reaching implications for Tesla’s battery tech advantage and the broader EV market. The outcome of this lawsuit will be closely watched and could set important precedents around trade secret protections in the industry.

While legal fights like this can be ugly, they are often a necessary evil to defend hard-earned innovations and maintain a level playing field. Ultimately, the biggest winners will hopefully be consumers, who stand to benefit from continuous battery advancements that make EVs more affordable, convenient, and environmentally friendly.