Nikola sues Tesla for stealing truck design

Did Tesla copy its rival's truck design?

That's the $2 billion question that will be brought before the courts after electric/hydrogen truck company Nikola filed suit in the USA.

Tesla is promising to deliver a battery-electric truck next year but Nikola alleges that its US rival copied the design of its electric-hydrogen truck, the Nikola One, to develop its own EV truck, the Tesla Semi.

In the lawsuit, Nikola claims it patented the design of its truck, the Nikola One, and Tesla 'stole' aspects of the design including the wrap-around windscreen, centrally-located doors and the bodywork.

"The Tesla Semi design is substantially similar to Nikola's unique design, and Tesla copied Nikola's patents," Nikola alleges in the lawsuit.

Tesla retorted: "It's patently obvious there is no merit to this lawsuit."

Nikola said it received six design patents earlier this year for various elements of its hydrogen-electric truck, including the 'wrap' windscreen, side door and fuselage.

Nikola claims that in May 2016 the company "posted its design on its website and released a press release with the image of Nikola’s semi, the Nikola One".

It further claims that a year later, Tesla came up with its design which was remarkably similar.

The lawsuit goes on to say that: "Nikola designed the wrap windshield, a unique feature in the trucking industry. The design is identifiable from a distance.

"The wrap windshield provides drivers an unobstructed view of the road. Tesla copied the wrap windshield, and advertised the view drivers had in its vehicle."

And in Point 22, the suit says: "Nikola designed a mid-entry door, another first in the trucking industry. The door gave the driver access to the cab without any obstacles in the driver's way. Tesla's truck has a mid-entry door, and Tesla advertised the ease of access of its vehicle."