LG Energy Solution scores third patent win over Sunwoda

LG Energy Solution won a patent infringement lawsuit against Sunwoda, a Chinese technology company specializing in lithium-ion battery modules. As one of the top 10 global power battery manufacturers, Sunwoda supplies batteries to Chinese automotive manufacturers Geely Automobile and Dongfeng Motor Corporation, as well as France’s Renault, Japan’s Nissan, and others. This is the third case won against Sunwoda.

On July 17, the Munich District Court ruled that Sunwoda had infringed LG Energy Solution’s patent related to the structure of electrode assemblies—a core technology in lithium-ion batteries that ensures the stacked electrode layers remain securely intact. The court determined that Sunwoda’s prismatic batteries, used in Renault Group’s electric vehicle Dacia Spring, violated this patent. According to LG Energy Solution on July 24, the court issued an injunction banning the sale of the infringing batteries in Germany and ordered Sunwoda to recall and dispose of remaining battery units, pay damages, and provide relevant accounting records. An industry expert noted that this specific patent is frequently subject to infringement, particularly in the power battery segment that many Chinese manufacturers focus on.

Before the third trial, in May, the Munich District Court ruled that two of LG Energy Solution’s battery separator technologies had also been infringed. At the time, Sunwoda was ordered to recall and destroy all infringing batteries in its direct or indirect possession, marking the first injunction in Germany related to car batteries. Sunwoda is expected to appeal the rulings.

Recently, LG Energy Solution has taken strong countermeasures against “patent free riders” through lawsuits. A company representative stated, “We have identified numerous cases of patent infringement in competing products across the market, ranging from small batteries for IT devices to medium- and large-sized batteries for electric vehicles.”