Tesla is suing ex-supplier Matthews International Corp. alleging that it misappropriated trade secrets related to its dry battery electrode (DBE) manufacturing process.
The electric vehicle manufacturer’s complaint, filed by its in-house counsel and Fish & Richardson on June 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, accuses Matthews of flouting several nondisclosure agreements, filing patents that co-opt Tesla’s trade secrets and leaking confidential information to Tesla’s rivals. It alleges trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract and unfair competition under the Defend Trade Secrets Act and the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act.