In early summer, Audi sued Chinese automaker NIO over alleged IP infringement. Now, the Ingolstadt-based company addressed EUIPO with yet another complaint regarding the same rival.
The controversy was sparked by NIO planning to enter the market of Europe this fall with multiple car models on sale. The first showroom is scheduled to open in Berlin, and the first car to go on sale will be the all-electric ET7 sedan.
At first, Audi took issue with the names of NIO’s ES6 and ES8 SUVs. The company believed they sounded confusingly similar to its own S6 and S8. The new complaint additionally mentions a new crossover SUV dubbed the ES7, which you can find in our gallery here. The impression is that Audi is afraid of people buying it instead of its own S7 Sportback.
Spiegel reports that Audi will be bringing another action against NIO if the Chinese carmaker fails to respond in time. We have yet to hear a response from it, but the way. The first court hearing will take place in the Court of Munich, Germany, on December 6, 2022.