South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution (LGES) has won a battery patent lawsuit against China’s Sunwoda Group.
The lawsuit was over the infringement of two patents related to battery separator technology. The oral hearing was made before the Munich District Court’s 7th Division in Germany.
The lawsuit affects Sunwoda Electronic and Sunwoda Mobility Energy Technology as well as their German affiliates Sunwoda Europe and Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery Germany.
The court ordered an ‘injunctive relief’ that require the Sunwoda Group to stop selling batteries that use the associated separator technology.
But crucially, the court also ordered Sunwoda to destroy all batteries using the associated technology that’s in the company’s direct or indirect possession.
The lawsuit was filed by Tulip Innovation, a Hungarian lithium-ion patent management firm.
The German court ordered Sunwoda Group to pay damages to Tulip in principle, and provide detailed accounting information to enable Tulip to calculate its damages claim.
Tulip said in a press release that: “These appear to be the first injunctions in Germany related to car batteries. There is no ‘free riding’ for battery manufacturers on technologies developed by innovation leaders like LGES and Panasonic Energy.”
Sunwoda Group is expected to appeal the rulings, but Tulip said it is “confident that the decision will stand on appeal.”
