Ford's hybrid electric vehicles are suspected of infringing patents and may be banned from sale

According to foreign media reports, the International Trade Commission (ITC) launched an investigation into Ford Motor’s patent infringement this week. It is reported that this case may have an impact on Ford’s imports of hybrid electric vehicles from Mexico.

Paice and the Abell Foundation, a Maryland-based hybrid technology company, claim that some of Ford's imported hybrid electric vehicles and related parts infringe their patents and violate the U.S. Tariff Act of 1930.

The two companies said they had worked with Ford from 1999-2004, providing it with detailed models and component designs, but Ford subsequently refused to use Paice's technology.

"We believed in Ford, and our engineers have been sharing our proprietary hybrid technology with Ford in good faith, but this good faith has been misrepresented," Paice CEO Robert Oswald said in a statement.

Paice asked the ITC to issue an injunction and prohibit the sale of hybrid electric vehicles produced by Ford in Mexico, including Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, in the United States. Ford said that its cooperation with Paice has not ended and it will continue to actively defend its rights.

The ITC will refer the case to its enforcement judge, who will ultimately decide whether Ford has violated Section 337 of the Tariff Act.

The ITC investigation is the latest development in a years-long dispute between Paice and Ford. Paice sued Ford in 2014 for infringing its patents, but the court ruled that the case was invalid. The court that accepted the appeal said it would uphold the original ruling, but Paice chose to try other ways to gain support.

It is reported that Paice has also filed similar lawsuits against many car companies, including Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai Kia, etc. However, according to Paice's executive vice chairman, the cases of the above-mentioned car companies have been resolved, and he believes that the reason for choosing to sue is to make the car companies realize that it is Paice that owns this technology.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.