Tesla, the electric car company owned by Elon Musk, has taken legal action against a battery manufacturer in Gurugram called Tesla Power. The reason for the lawsuit is that the Indian company has a similar name and is using the brand name ‘Tesla Power’ to promote its products.
Tesla is seeking compensation and a permanent ban on the use of its trademark by the Indian company.
According to the records of the Delhi High Court, Tesla informed the court that despite sending a notice to cease in April 2022, the Gurugram-based company continued to advertise its products under the brand name ‘Tesla Power’.
During the court hearing, Tesla Power India Pvt Ltd argued that their primary business is manufacturing lead acid batteries and they have no plans of entering the electric vehicle market.
The judge gave the Indian company three weeks to provide written responses after they submitted documents to support their defense. Musk’s Tesla, incorporated in Delaware, has accused the Indian company of using the trade names ‘Tesla Power’ and ‘Tesla Power USA’.
The court records included screenshots of a website that showed Tesla Power USA LLC, also based in Delaware, being recognized as a leader in affordable batteries with a strong presence in India.
A representative from Tesla Power, Manoj Pahwa, told Reuters that they had been in India for a long time, before Musk’s Tesla, and had all the necessary government approvals. Pahwa also clarified that they have never claimed to be associated with Elon Musk’s Tesla.
Tesla informed the judge that they discovered the Indian company’s use of their brand name in 2022 and had been unsuccessful in stopping them, which led to the lawsuit.
This legal action comes after Musk canceled his planned visit to India on April 21, where he was supposed to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
