Seoul: LG Energy Solution Ltd. (LGES), South Korea's leading battery maker, has won a lawsuit against China's Sunwoda Group in Germany over the infringement of two patents related to battery separator technology, a company representing LGES in Germany said Thursday. On May 22 (local time), the Munich District Court upheld injunction requests filed by Hungary-based patent management firm Tulip Innovation Kft., barring Sunwoda Group affiliates from selling lithium-ion batteries in Germany, Tulip said in a press release.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the affected companies include Sunwoda Electronic, Sunwoda Mobility Energy Technology, and their German subsidiaries, Sunwoda Europe and Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery Germany. "These appear to be the first injunctions in Germany related to car batteries. There is no 'free riding' for battery manufacturers on technologies developed by innovation leaders like LGES and Panasonic Energy," the release said.
The court also ordered Sunwoda's affiliates to recall and destroy any remaining infringing batteries in their direct or indirect possession, pay damages to Tulip in principle, and provide detailed accounting records to facilitate damage assessment. Sunwoda Group is expected to appeal the rulings, but Tulip said it is "confident that the decision will stand on appeal."
The two patents at issue involve battery separators -- a critical component for ensuring the safety and performance of electric vehicle batteries.