In the lawsuit filed this month, Karma Automotive, an Irvine, Calif.-based and Chinese-owned electric auto maker, alleges that the new company was created based on intellectual property that its founders stole while working for Karma.
So far, the only plans DeLorean Motors Reimagined has announced involve producing 88 models of its pricey Alpha5 coupe two years from now, yet CEO Joost de Vries said the startup will soon become a publicly traded company.Lawsuit: San Antonio-based DeLorean reboot founded on stolen intellectual property
Wynne still owns “DeLorean Motor Company,” and he sits on the board of San Antonio-based DeLorean Motors Reimagined.Karma, owned by a Chinese conglomerate, said it began exploring a venture with Wynne’s company in 2020 to “produce DeLorean vehicles utilizing Karma’s electric vehicle technology.” Karma produces high-priced, luxury electric sports cars, but it has not generated significant sales.
Despite a range of claims in the suit, it could be an uphill battle for Karma to win in court, said Colin Marks, an associate dean and professor at St. Mary’s University School of Law. “You are not supposed to use any confidential information you gained while you were with your former employer, and that’s where these things get really tricky,” Marks said. “Was it general knowledge you had? Because you’re free to do that. … Or did I use something I was privy to only because of my position that was confidential?”De Vries left Karma in August 2021.
“If enjoined from moving forward with this venture, that’s going to kill everything, and that might encourage them to pay some amount out or agree to a settlement,” he said.A breakdown of key state and local races and candidates in the May 24 primary runoff. Baldwin-DeLorean settled that lawsuit with Wynne’s company for an undisclosed amount of money. The settlement agreement prevented the DeLorean estate from ever again suing DMC Texas for using the DeLorean name and stylized trademarks.