Tesla Sues Indian Battery Maker Over Trademark Infringement: Full Details and Legal Battle Unfold

Tesla, the carmaker founded by Elon Musk, has taken legal action against an Indian battery manufacturer for allegedly infringing on its trademark. The Indian company is accused of using the brand name “Tesla Power” to promote its products, despite receiving a cease-and-desist notice from Tesla in April 2022.

The lawsuit was filed in the Delhi High Court, where Tesla presented evidence that the Indian company, Tesla Power India Pvt Ltd, continued to advertise its products under the “Tesla Power” brand. The court proceedings revealed that Tesla had discovered the infringement in 2022 and had been unsuccessful in stopping it, leading to the lawsuit seeking damages and a permanent injunction.

During the hearing, the Indian company argued that its primary focus is on manufacturing lead-acid batteries and claimed no intention of entering the electric vehicle market. However, Tesla contends that the use of the trade names “Tesla Power” and “Tesla Power USA” by the Indian company constitutes trademark infringement.

The court granted the Indian firm three weeks to submit written responses after it provided documents supporting its defense. Among the evidence presented was information indicating the existence of Tesla Power USA LLC, headquartered in Delaware, which has a significant presence in India.

The Tesla India trademark case is scheduled to be heard next on May 22 in the Delhi High Court.