Tesla processa ex-fornecedor por suposto roubo de segredo comercial da bateria $1B+

Tesla has filed a bombshell lawsuit against its former supplier Matthews International, 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.

De acordo com a denúncia, a Matthews começou a fornecer maquinário de fabricação à Tesla em 2019. Durante essa parceria, a Tesla compartilhou informações confidenciais sobre seu inovador processo de revestimento de eletrodos secos, que pode reduzir significativamente o tamanho da fábrica de baterias, o custo, o uso de energia e o tempo de produção, ao mesmo tempo em que aumenta a densidade de energia e a potência das células da bateria.

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.”

A Tesla está buscando uma liminar para impedir que Matthews continue a usar indevidamente seus segredos comerciais, a transferência de pedidos de patentes questionáveis e mais de $1 bilhão em danos monetários. Os representantes de ambas as empresas não responderam imediatamente aos pedidos de comentários adicionais.

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.