Elon Musk’s Tesla has filed a lawsuit against an Indian battery manufacturer for allegedly infringing on its trademark by using the name “Tesla Power” to market its products, on May 3. The lawsuit, heard in the Delhi High Court, seeks damages and a permanent injunction to stop the use of the Tesla brand name, as per Reuters.
During a court session this week, it was revealed that the Indian company, Tesla Power India Pvt Ltd, continued to promote its products under the “Tesla Power” brand despite receiving a cease-and-desist notice in April 2022, as reported on the court’s website, the report added.
Tesla Power India Pvt Ltd, which manufactures lead acid batteries, countered during the hearing that its business does not overlap with electric vehicle production and that it did not intend to confuse consumers, as per the report.
The judge gave the Indian firm three weeks to file a written response after they hadsubmitted a set of documents defending their position.
The court documents revealed that the accused company also uses the name “Tesla Power USA” and is recognized for its pioneering role in affordable batteries with a strong presence in India. A representative from Tesla Power told Reuters, “We have never claimed to be related to Elon Musk’s Tesla,” according to Manoj Pahwa of Tesla Power, as quoted by Reuters.
Tesla informed the court that it became aware of the Indian company’s use of its brand name in 2022 and has since been unable to stop it, prompting the legal action.
This legal battle coincides with Musk’s cancellation of a planned visit to India to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 21, followed shortly by an unexpected visit to China, which some Indian commentators have interpreted as a snub, the report added.
The next hearing in the Tesla India trademark case is scheduled for May 22.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Published: 04 May 2024, 07:43 AM IST