Nippon Steel sues Toyota, China's Baoshan over patent infringement

Steelmaker also asks Tokyo court to block Toyota from selling EVs

Nippon Steel has asked a Tokyo court to block Toyota from building and selling electric vehicles in Japan. (Source photos by Reuters and AP)

Nikkei staff writers

October 14, 2021 15:13 JST

Updated on October 14, 2021 18:48 JST

TOKYO -- Nippon Steel is seeking a court injunction to stop Toyota Motor from producing electric vehicles, in a patent infringement suit against the carmaker and a Chinese steelmaker.

The Japanese company said on Thursday that it has filed a lawsuit against Toyota and Baoshan Iron & Steel, a subsidiary of China's state-run China Baowu Steel Group. It accuses the two companies of infringing Nippon Steel patents that cover nonoriented electrical steel sheet, which is used in electric vehicle motors.