Tesla's Trademark Tussle: The Collision of Elon Musk's Company with an Indian Battery Maker

Tesla has filed a copyright case against Indian battery maker Tesla Power for using a similar name, seeking damages and a permanent injunction against the Gurugram-based company.

In the legal dispute between Tesla, a worldwide electric vehicle producer, and Tesla Power India Pvt Ltd, the Gurugram-based battery manufacturer has been charged with copywriting (copyright) infringement by using the name and branding 'Tesla'. The Indian company 'Tesla', which is a subsidiary of Elon Musk, says that the Indian company is violating its trademark by marketing its products under the name 'Tesla Power'.

The situation got even more shaky this week when Tesla stated that the notice of discontinuation that was sent to Tesla Power in April 2022 was not sufficient enough to stop the company from using the 'Tesla Power' brand. The lawsuit which has been filed by Tesla now seeks compensation and permanent injunctive relief against the Indian company from using the name which has been questioned.

Disbelievingly, Telsa Power has stated that its main enterprise is the manufacturing of lead-acid batteries and that it would not get into electric vehicles. "We have all necessary permissions from the government and were there even longer than Musk's Tesla. We have never claimed any connection to Musk's Tesla," said Manoj Pahwa from Tesla Power.

The trial has proven that Tesla started looking for trademark infringement in 2022 and has not been successful in its attempts to settle the matter before filing the lawsuit. The submitted screenshots to the court also have the 'Tesla Power USA LLC' website address with the location of Delaware state, the state where Tesla is incorporated.

The trademark conflict issue has just become relevant as it happened right after Elon Musk canceled his trip to India at the end of April to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but he made a surprise trip to China only a few days later. Only a few critics regarded the visit of Musk to China as an affront to India's friendly behavior.

Also Read: Elon Musk Delays India Visit And Meeting With PM Modi

The next hearing scheduled for May 22 will be the test of the David vs Goliath fight. How this clash over the 'Tesla' name plays out in the Indian judiciary will be the question to be seen. This case could trigger serious repercussions on trademark legislation as well as the possibility of Tesla’s foray into the Indian market.