China Aviation Lithium Battery (CALB) Group Co., Ltd. , the seventh largest supplier of electric vehicle batteries in the world announced on October 18, 2024 that it had sued Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) and vehicle manufacturers for infringement of 4 Chinese patents for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. CATL requested 1.007 billion RMB and injunctions.  CATL is the world’s largest supplier of (EV) batteries.

CALB has filed four litigations at the Higher People’s Court of Hubei Province (湖北省高級人民法院) and the Higher People’s Court of Jiangsu Province (江蘇省高級人民法院) over patents CN202210155731.8, CN202210302091.9, CN201820895186.5, and CN202222803519.6.  Other defendants included AVATR, Tesla, and ZEEKR although CALB is not seeking damages against the vehicle manufacturers (just litigation costs).

CATL and CALB have been suing each other over the past several years with the most recent verdict including a victory for CATL ordering CALB to cease infringement of utility model patent CN201320059664.6 and pay damages of 58,051,102 RMB jointly with China Lithium Battery Luoyang.  Note that this utility model patent has expired rendering the injunction moot. CALB plans to appeal.

Another ongoing litigation includes CATL v. CALB over CN201720968992.6 seeking damages of 92 million RMB.

CATL previously won patent infringement lawsuits against CALB in 2023 for 35.8 million RMB for infringement of utility model ZL201910295365.4 and 20.1 million RMB for infringement of utility model ZL201810696957.2.  Both patents were later invalidated and the lawsuits dismissed. 

On May 20, 2024, CALB also announced that CATL won a patent infringement lawsuit for utility model ZL201521112402.7.  CATL was awarded 40,558,257 RMB in damages and an injunction. CALB is appealing and has filed to invalidate the utility model.