BMW has been slapped with a patent infringement lawsuit by U.S. hybrid engine tech provider Paice, which is based in Baltimore, Maryland.
According to a suit filed in the U.S. District Court in Maryland, infringement is being claimed on a total of eight BMW hybrid and plug-in hybrid models, including the 330e iPerformance, 530e iPerformance, 750e xDrive iPerformance, i8 Roadster PHEV and Mini Countryman PHEV, reports Autonews Europe.
Also read: BMW Hard At Work To Boost Plug-In Hybrid Image In Europe
“Paice shared intimate details of our hybrid vehicle technology with BMW in good faith,” said Paice CEO Robert Oswald in a statement. “Rather than negotiate a license for our technology, BMW took what it learned from Paice and used it for its own gain.”
The German automaker has yet to comment on this ongoing litigation.
Paice had previously sued the likes of Ford, Toyota, Hyundai and Kia too, and subsequently got those brands to pay in order to license its technology. Their relationship with BMW however goes back to the early 2000s.
Back then, Paice allegedly taught BMW how its patented technology could maximize fuel efficiency and reduce emissions without impacting driving performance, as per the suit.
“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,” said the 31-page complaint, which also adds that after BMW experimented with a hybrid version of the X6, the automaker began “employing Paice’s critical teachings, adding hybrid and plug-in hybrid models to its vehicle lineup with notable success.”
