U.S. Patent Office Rules In Favor Of Nikola In Lawsuit Against Tesla Semi

[TMC Staff]

The $2 billion lawsuit due to patent infringement will continue. On May 4, 2018, we told you Nikola Motor Company had decided to sue Tesla. It alleged that Tesla violated six patents with the design of the Semi, which cover the windscreen, door, and bodywork design of the Nikola One. The Phoenix-based manufacturer claims the...
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[Brando]

reminds me of SCO Group, Inc. and Linux (IBM & Novel)

When Business Owners, Lawyers, Judges all see each other at church - don't expect fairness, in my opinion.
yes I'm very bias, I grew up in Utah.

$2 billion for the design of how a truck looks. Reminds me of Apple vs Samsung on rounded corners on cell phones. Just makes me want to hug and love every lawyer I meet. Too bad all the really good ones went into politics.

 

[flar]

Aren't they both similar to this design that was presented in 2016?

English version published 2 days after Nikola press release:

German version published 2 weeks before Nikola press release:

(Design shown around t=1:28)

And here is an article showing future MAN designs that are very similar from 2009:
Radical Aerodynamic Semi Truck With 0.29 Cd Offers Dramatic Fuel Savings - The Truth About Cars

 

[SSonnentag]

Have any trucks been delivered yet? Not to my knowledge, which begs the question, what is the $2 billion for? I could see a cease and desist order, but so far there have been no damages. If anything, Nikola has benefited from this whole thing as nobody would have even heard of them without the lawsuit.

 

[Chaserr]

reminds me of SCO Group,

It does! same MO, same initial court success because the patent office frankly stinks at everything, and probably the same bankruptcy in their future if patent trolling is all they have going for them. Suing for billions when no deliveries even exist just means they're so desperate for cash they are suing over imaginary losses. Not a single vehicle sold has ever infringed any of their claimed patents. Have any of their own been sold using them?

 

[mongo]

50 years ago, there was Ford's Big Red
Turbo titan III

 

[adiggs]

IANAL, nor am I a patent lawyer, but I do work with patent documents (understanding technology trends), so I've learned a little bit from the neighborhood.

This stuff is extremely specific and detailed. My own conclusion is that absent a patent lawyer education and degree / license to practice the patent bar, then opinions on this (just like my own opinion) are worthless. At least insofar as those opinions are drawing conclusions about how meaningful any particular finding is.


Anybody here a patent lawyer that can tell us more about this, and what this might mean?

 

[Electric700]

I hope Nikola drops their lawsuit. They use flawed hydrogen technology as the basis. Hydrogen burns invisibly in case of an accident, and is colorless and odorless. It is also more energy intensive. If you power a hydrogen generator from solar / wind, you already have efficiency losses there versus supplying solar / wind power directly to the Tesla Semi 100% electric battery.

Other than some exterior elements, I don't really see similarities. If really needed, Tesla can do some minor updates to the exterior design.

Tesla Semi Interior:
Ecosia - the search engine that plants trees

Nikola One Interior:
Ecosia - the search engine that plants trees

 

[Brando]

Per my limited -experience- reading and hearing stories of ~ 70 years my suspicions are: (oh yeah, we are talking over the top bias)

Judges can be bought - and of course lawyers are bought.
(sometime Judges & both opposing Lawyers get together to maximize profits and even save trial time)

[Does this make the SEC $30 million fine make more cents?]
[more complex example: Scruggs Pleads Guilty; Plus a Profile of the 'King of Torts'
$42 million every 12 months for 23 years - you'll be surprised - worth a read IMHO.]

 

[Brando]

50 years ago, there was Ford's Big Red
Turbo titan III
View attachment 535025

Looks like another great management move - drop the project.

 

[TechOps]

Oh, we didn't want to sue you for $2 Billion in damages for a vehicle you haven't produced...but you made us!!

 

[Cal1]

Amazing no one has address the impact on fall deliveries. E.g. will redesign stop production. etc.

 

[voyager]

Saw this interesting depiction (see below)...
Which brings up the question: how much is a 2 mWh battery supposed to weigh?
And are there any fixed figures in general about Tesla's battery weight : kWh ratio?

 

[willow_hiller]

Saw this interesting depiction (see below)...
Which brings up the question: how much is a 2 mWh battery supposed to weigh?
And are there any fixed figures in general about Tesla's battery weight : kWh ratio?

I think most current Tesla packs work out to about 6 kg per kW. So a 2 MW battery would weigh 12 metric tons.

 

[Antonus]

I can't wait to see the actual shootout that happens between Tesla's semis and Nikola's once they are both finally pumping out trucks.

 

[garrett5688]

There’s a good chance that will never happen

 

[qingshan]

Correct me if wrong please but in aerodynamics form to a great extent is dictated by function.

 

[AMPd]

I can't wait to see the actual shootout that happens between Tesla's semis and Nikola's once they are both finally pumping out trucks.

I don’t think Nikola will get too many sales

Setting up a charging network for the Tesla semis will be expensive, setting up hydrogen refueling stations will be a nonstarter.

 

[the dude]

Nikola: How to Parlay An Ocean of Lies Into a Partnership With the Largest Auto OEM in America

Interesting reading for all you Nikola fans

 

[garrett5688]

Nikola: How to Parlay An Ocean of Lies Into a Partnership With the Largest Auto OEM in America

Interesting reading for all you Nikola fans

Reads almost like a satire. Crazy stuff. My favorite part, about his brother:

One source we spoke with, who previously worked with Travis, described him as not having a formal role and as someone Trevor “kept around” if they “needed someone to hold a rope, or something like that” while they were working on vehicles.