Tulip Innovation Expands Patent Case Against Sunwoda

BUDAPEST, Hungary, Jan. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On 19 January 2026, the Korea Trade Commission (KTC) instituted a case based on claims filed by Tulip Innovation that Sunwoda's lithium-ion battery cells and Geely Auto Group's battery packs - supplied for a best-selling hybrid SUV in Korea - infringe a patent included in Tulip's battery licensing program. This escalation of Tulip's enforcement campaign against Sunwoda's and its customers' unlicensed activities follows patent actions filed in Germany and is the result of Sunwoda's continued unwillingness to take a license.

The KTC action involves Korean Patent No. 10-1089135 and relates to the combination of an electrode and a battery separator, which is an important element for the safety and performance of a car battery. The asserted Korean patent is a counterpart of one of the European patents Tulip asserted in German cases that resulted in the issuance of three injunctions against Sunwoda last year.

As the licensing agent for a portfolio of over 5,000 patents owned by LG Energy Solution and Panasonic Energy, Tulip's enforcement efforts are mainly directed at battery manufacturers but may also include customers that source batteries from unlicensed suppliers. The newly instituted Korean case demonstrates the global strength of the Tulip portfolio and indicates that companies operating downstream in the lithium-ion battery supply chain may have patent infringement liability relating to unlicensed products.

"Tulip initiated this action in Korea as part of its commitment to uphold fair and competitive market conditions in the battery industry," explained Ferencz Farkas, Director of Tulip, adding that "our goal is to grant licenses under the portfolio to all lithium-ion battery manufacturers but, if needed, Tulip is prepared to enforce against different participants in the supply chain to protect Licensors' intellectual property rights."

Additional information is available at www.tulipinnovation.com