In 2018, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. took WM Motor to court for "infringement of trade secrets" and required WM Motor to compensate 2.1 billion yuan and bear related litigation costs. The case recently ushered in the first-instance verdict. According to the verdict, WM Motor needs to compensate Geely 7 million yuan, including 5 million yuan in economic losses and 2 million yuan in various expenses to stop the infringement. In addition, WM Motor will stop using five auto parts drawings used on the EX5 model.
Weima Motors stated in an interview that the judgment in the case has not yet taken effect and WM Motor has appealed. The discontinuation of the drawings will have no substantial or little impact on the company. It is understood that the five parts drawings are the front stabilizer bar assembly, the rear axle assembly mounting bracket, the front suspension left lower swing arm, the front stabilizer bar left sleeve, and the rear axle assembly. They are all parts of the car chassis. part.
It is understood that Since 2016, many resigned employees from Chengdu Gaoyuan Automobile Industry Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Geely, have joined the WM department, and some have also served as executives of WM Motor. In the internal email system of Gaoyuan Automobile, some of the above-mentioned drawing information appeared in the emails of some resigned employees, which means that WM Motor has access to Geely's business secrets.
In fact, Geely has sued WM Motor in more than one case. Focusing on intellectual property disputes such as trade secrets and patent ownership, Geely has sued WM Motor-related companies in Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shanghai and other places. Progress in cases varies. For example, also starting in 2018, Gaoyuan Automobile filed a lawsuit on the grounds of "infringement of trade secrets." The defendants are several resigned employees of WM-related companies and Gaoyuan Automobile. But Case 121 ended with the withdrawal of the lawsuit.
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Editor: Qin Qingbao