Human Horizons’ HiPhi brand has vehemently denied allegations of trade secret infringement made by Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc against it and its founder, Ding Lei.
In a statement issued today, HiPhi stated, “The company and Mr. Ding Lei do not have any plagiarism, infringement of FF’s trade secrets, intellectual property rights, or unfair competition.”
See also: Faraday Future Sues HiPhi Founder Ding Lei for Alleged Trade Secret Infringement
Earlier, California-based Faraday Future announced that it is suing Ding and his company for alleged trade secret infringement and unfair competition. Faraday Future is seeking monetary damages and requesting the court to order Human Horizons to immediately cease infringing on the company’s trade secrets related to the FF 91.
HiPhi emphasized that its already mass-produced X, Y, and Z series models were developed either by the company itself or jointly with supplier partners and possess their own intellectual property rights.
See also: China’s Changan Auto in Talks to Acquire Human Horizons, Hiphi EV Maker
Furthermore, HiPhi’s design patent for the X received a design award jointly issued by the China National Intellectual Property Administration and the World Intellectual Property Organization.
“The company has been established for six years, and neither the company nor Mr. Ding Lei has ever received a lawsuit from FF before,” HiPhi stated.
See also: Human Horizons’ HiPhi Brand Halts Production Amid Operational Challenges
Faraday Future is an electric vehicle company founded by Chinese businessman Jia Yueting, who filed for bankruptcy in the United States in October 2019 after accumulating billions of dollars in personal debt in China.
Human Horizons and its parent company were founded in 2017 with the aim of targeting the high-end electric vehicle market with vehicles priced between RMB 500,000 ($69,450) and RMB 800,000 yuan.
