Tesla was successful in a trademark lawsuit in China over “Tesla Beer” after a company tried to use the company’s logo and play off of its name to sell products.
Tesla sued Zhongyin Food Co., Ltd and a court recognized the company’s claims that Zhongyin was infringing the exclusive rights of its trademarks.
It also was ordered to stop unfair competition behavior, pay a fine to Tesla worth ¥5 million, roughly $690,000, and issue a public statement.
In 2019, a series of Tesla sodas and beer had surfaced in China, but were not associated with Tesla itself.
According to reports from multiple Chinese news outlets, Tesla immediately filed a suit against Zhongyin, wishing to defend its well-known logo and reputation as a leading automaker in the electric vehicle space.
It was evident that Zhongyin was aiming to use Tesla’s name and logo to mislead consumers and encourage them to buy the product, although the automaker had nothing to do with the production and/or sale of the beverages.
Tesla has gone on to produce several alcoholic beverages under its official business. This includes Tesla Tequila and Tesla Beer, which was launched earlier this year in Europe. It has not yet made its way to the United States.
Tesla has been building a hardcore litigation team for several years and working to eliminate any misconceptions about its business that may come from misinformation or, in this case, another entity hoping to use its likeness to drive sales of a product.
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