BMW sued over plug-in hybrid tech
Patent infringement suit could take BMW’s hybrids to courtAn American hybrid technology specialist has sued German premium brand BMW over its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
The lawsuit alleges the BMW 330e iPerformance, the 530e iPerformance, the 750e xDrive iPerformance, the i8 Roadster and the MINI Countryman PHEV all use infringe on patents from Paice and the Abell Foundation.
Filed in Baltimore, the lawsuit claims Paice (part-owned by the Abell Foundation) showed BMW its technologies years ago and BMW responded by building on those technologies without paying a license fee.
"Paice shared intimate details of our hybrid vehicle technology with BMW in good faith," a statement from Paice CEO Robert Oswald read.
"Rather than negotiate a license for our technology, BMW took what it learned from Paice and used it for its own gain."
The lawsuit filing alleges that Paice showed and taught BMW how its technology could boost fuel economy, lower emissions and increase driving performance at the same time, sharing highly technical details with the car-maker.
"BMW readily expressed interest in Paice's technology because BMW was still pushing its diesel technology and was years behind other leading automakers that were actively pursuing hybrids," the complaint alleges.
BMW, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors teamed up in 2005 to develop a joint hybrid system based on Paice technology, with Paice even giving up its control algorithms to DaimlerChrysler. The car-makers disbanded the venture in 2009, insisting the technology was far too expensive to ever reach production."The following year, BMW released its only vehicle with this costly system, the BMW X6 SUV, and shortly [after] pulled it from the market," the complaint alleged.
"But within the next few years, BMW began employing Paice's critical teachings, adding hybrid and plug-in hybrid models to its vehicle lineup with notable success."
BMW has declined to comment on the lawsuit.
It’s not the first time Paice and the Abell Foundation have sued car-makers over this exact kind of alleged infringement. It has sued Ford, Hyundai, Kia and Toyota over their hybrid technologies and all of them now use Paice technology under license.
Founded by engineer Alex Severinsky, Paice’s technology suite specialises in using high-voltage ideas to boost combustion engines.
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