Two EV startups may face court for alleged breach of contract and patent infringement.
EV startup Bollinger Motors filed a lawsuit this week against Munro Vehicles and its lead designer in the Southern District of New York for alleged breach of contract, patent infringement and trade dress infringement, according to court documents.
At the center of the lawsuit are the Bollinger B1 SUV and B2 truck, the Munro MK_1 SUV, and former Bollinger contract designer Ross Compton, who later became Munro’s lead designer. Bollinger alleges in the lawsuit that Compton violated his contract and violated a mutual non-disclosure agreement by referring to his Bollinger file, which was confidential to Munro’s knowledge, during the design of his Munro product. increase.
image credit: Screenshot of court filings
Bollinger also alleges that Munro infringed two patents for original vehicle design and trade dress infringement. Bollinger claims this will cause irreparable harm to the brand.
Image credit: Screenshot of court filings
Munro CEO Russell Peterson said in an emailed statement to TechCrunch that the company is aware of the allegations brought by Bollinger Motors Inc.
“The company takes intellectual property infringement very seriously, and Munro intends to adamantly defend its position on the unique design of the Munro MK_1 all-terrain vehicle,” he wrote.
Both Bollinger and Munro have developed rugged all-terrain vehicles intended for commercial use. Based in Scotland, Munro specifically targets farmers, miners and those working in the heavy industry sector. Founded in his 2021 by Peterson and Ross Anderson, the company says it plans to bring the Munro MK_1 to market in 2024.
Bollinger Motors, a Michigan-based start-up founded by Robert Bollinger in 2015, is focused on producing Class 3-6 all-electric commercial vehicles. The company originally planned to produce Bollinger B1 and B2 off-road electric SUVs and pickup his trucks. It then introduced a chassis designed for Class 3 commercial vehicles, aiming to expand its customer base.
Bollinger has paused development of the B1 and B2 cars in January 2022. Nine months later, his EV startup Mullen Automotive, which went public through a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company, acquired his 60% stake in Bollinger. The deal injected his $148.2 million needed into the startup.
The companies said at the time that the investment will help accelerate the development of Bollinger’s class of commercial electric trucks, including a Class 4 vehicle planned for 2023, and help restart its consumer truck program. .
Bollinger continues to maintain its own board of directors, with Robert Bollinger continuing as CEO. When asked about the lawsuit, Robert Bollinger said he didn’t mention Mullen. This is because the company retains ownership of the IP portfolio and has an obligation to defend it.
