Electric semi-truck startup sues Tesla over patent infringement in Arizona

PHOENIX — A hydrogen-electric semi-truck startup was suing Tesla in Arizona, claiming the electric car company copied its truck designs.

The Phoenix Business Journal reported that Nikola Corp. sued Tesla for patent infringement in an Arizona federal court earlier this month.

“Nikola executives are claiming the Tesla Semi design is ‘substantially similar’ to the ‘unique design’ of its Nikola One electric Class 8 heavy-duty truck,” the publication reported.

More specifically, the lawsuit claimed that Tesla copied Nikola’s wrap windshield design, fuselage aerodynamic look, mid-entry door, front fender design and overall semi design.

Nikola claimed in the lawsuit that its overall design was “unique in the trucking industry.”

The company also had six design patents to protect the company’s wrap windshield, mid-entry door, fuselage, fender, side cladding and the overall design of a semi. They were issued in early 2018.

“Tesla’s infringement has harmed Nikola’s plans by causing confusion in the market,” the lawsuit stated.

Nikola executives claimed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk “saw the Nikola One image and then announced in a July 2016 blog that Tesla was in the early stages of development.”

“Tesla has never claimed that its design was unique,” the lawsuit stated.

“Upon information and belief, Tesla does not have any patents protecting the design of its semi-truck and has not filed any applications for design patent protection.”

In an email to the publication, a Tesla spokesman said it was “patently obvious there is no merit to this lawsuit.”

Nikola picked Arizona for a $1 billion, 2,000-job manufacturing plant earlier this year and has announced plans to move its research and development and headquarters operations to Buckeye.

The company expected to enter production for its semi-trucks by 2020.

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