Tesla faces US$2 billion lawsuit over truck design

Hydrogen truck start-up Nikola Motor Company has filed a US$2 billion lawsuit against Tesla alleging patent infringement relating to Tesla’s electric Semi truck.

Tesla has responded, saying “It’s patently obvious there is no merit to this lawsuit”.

A Nikola representative told The Verge

it is not commenting as the matter is before the courts.

Nikola filed the lawsuit in Arizona’s federal court, alleging the Semi – unveiled in November 2017 – infringes on several of its patents, Fortune reports.

A driverless, hydrogen fuel cell truck is being designed by Nikola, the Nikola One unveiled in December 2016. It is also developing a Nikola Two day-cab which it starts testing this year and is expected to go into production in 2021.

In January, Nikola announced plans to build a US$1 billion hydrogen-electric truck factory in Phoenix, and it is moving headquarters from Salt Lake City to Arizona.

Tesla released a teaser image of its Semi in April 2017. Six months later, Nikola sent a letter asking Tesla not to proceed with the Semi unveiling event until the alleged patent infringement was resolved, the lawsuit says. Nikola says in the lawsuit that Tesla never responded.

Nikola has sparred with Tesla before, The Verge

says.