In a surprising move, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) said its truck design is stolen by Nikola Corporation (NASDAQ:NKLA) from Adriano Mudri, the designer of Rimac.
Nikola accuses Tesla of infringing its patents
Nikola previously said the electric truck design of Tesla infringed its prevailing patents. The company obtained three patents for the design of Nikola One Truck introduced in 2016. Nikola introduced One Truck one year before the launch of Tesla electric truck. The company seeks damages of $2 billion for infringing its patents from Tesla.
Tesla refuted the claim of Nikola. The company said it can show the proof that no patents are infringed. It even said the patents obtained by Nikola are invalid because the company failed to reveal that Adriano designed Nikola One truck’s features.
Tesla responds to the Nikola’s claim that Adriano designs the hydrogen-powered road runner concept truck. It says Trevor Milton held a meeting with Adriano during 2014 and 2015. Trevor knew that Tesla Road Runner Truck has features like the wrap-around windshield similar to Nikola One Truck.
Trevor acquires the original design
Trevor acquired the original design for the flagship truck of Nikola from a Croatia based designer. It is contradictory to Trevor’s claims in the 2018 lawsuit that he has drawn the vehicle images in his basement.
Nikola is at the center of controversy by claiming $2 billion from Tesla for infringing its truck design. The company says it started working on the truck’s design in 2013 whereas the staff at other companies started working much later.
In rebutting the lawsuit last week, Tesla said Nikola’s truck designs are not originated within its inhouse and cannot protect them. It further said the designs are originated from a Croatia based designer – Adriano. According to two people familiar with the matter said, Nikola’s founder acquired the design in 2015 when he met Adriano.
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