Tesla Eyes Expansion of EV Technology

“All of our patents belong to you,” says CEO Elon Musk.

June 16, 2014

FRANKFURT – “Yesterday, there was a wall of Tesla patents in the lobby of our Palo Alto headquarters. That is no longer the case,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a June 12 press release.

Musk says that Tesla’s patents are now available “in the spirit of the open source movement” for the advancement of EV technology:

“Tesla Motors was created to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport. If we clear a path to the creation of compelling electric vehicles, but then lay intellectual property landmines behind us to inhibit others, we are acting in a manner contrary to that goal. Tesla will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology. … We believe that Tesla, other companies making electric cars, and the world would all benefit from a common, rapidly evolving technology platform.”

Executives from BMW and Tesla Motors met last week, signaling a move “that could lead to the creation of charging stations usable for different types of electric cars,” reports Newsday. “BMW and electric carmaker Tesla are seeking ways to raise the popularity of battery-powered vehicles, which consumers have shunned due to their limited operating range, the scarcity of charging stations and the time it takes to recharge them,” writes the news source.

The news source adds that General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, BMW, Daimler, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche have committed to adopting a common SAE standard for fast-charging. Tesla’s charger system allows its cars, including the Tesla Model S, to be recharged on both the SAE chargers (with an adaptor) and its own charging stations.

German automakers are looking forward to collaborating with Tesla, notes the news source, adding that Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said in January that Mercedes-Benz is open to “deepening its partnership with the U.S. firm.” Daimler holds a 4.3% stake in Tesla.

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