2 Trillion-Won Nikola-Tesla Truck Design Lawsuit... Is the Owner a Third Party?

Major Foreign Media, Multiple Sources Cited
"Nikola Purchased Truck Design from Croatian Designer," Claim
Purchased During 2015 Rimac Visit

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Cha] Who is the real owner of the 'Nikola One' design? Nikola, a hydrogen electric truck company embroiled in fraud controversy over non-existent technology, has found itself on the defensive in a design copyright lawsuit over its $2 billion (approximately 2.35 trillion KRW) flagship truck Nikola One against Tesla. Foreign media reports supporting Tesla's claim that the truck design was purchased by founder Trevor Milton from a third party have also emerged.

Major foreign media outlets cited two sources familiar with the matter on the 27th (local time), reporting that Nikola's flagship truck design was purchased by founder Milton from a Croatian designer.

The two sources stated, "Around 2015, when Nikola's founder visited Croatia to meet Rimac, a Croatian electric supercar manufacturer, he met designer Adriano Mudri and subsequently purchased the design."

The design copyright issue of Nikola One is a key matter in the lawsuit between Nikola and Tesla. Nikola has claimed that its rival (Tesla) infringed on related patents. Nikola asserts that founder Milton began designing the truck model in a basement in 2013, and dissatisfied with the design, hired another employee (Steve Janes) two years later in 2015.

On the other hand, Tesla countered last week, arguing that Nikola's design protection is impossible because the design copyright originally belongs not to Nikola but to Croatian designer Mudri. However, the documents submitted by Tesla are insufficient to fully support this claim. While they identify designer Mudri as the owner of the original truck drawings, they do not include transaction details. There is no evidence of money exchanged or circumstances indicating Milton led the purchase.

Nikola is currently cornered by additional fraud allegations. Earlier this month, there was suspicion that during the production of a promotional video, Nikola covered the name of the supplier of purchased technology with a sticker to conceal it. Nikola explained that it never claimed to have developed the part in question.

Nikola was spotlighted as the 'second Tesla' by promoting core technologies in hydrogen fuel cells, batteries, and hydrogen production. However, on the 10th, financial analysis and short-selling firm Hindenburg Research raised doubts, triggering global fraud allegations. Hindenburg pointed out in its report that the video showing Nikola driving was actually filmed by pushing the truck up a hill and rolling it down. The suspicion is that the video was produced to give the impression that a functioning prototype had been developed. Nikola immediately rebutted, calling it "stock manipulation by short sellers," but failed to convince the market, and founder Milton resigned. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice have also launched investigations.