Monday, August 26, 2013

Electric carmaker Tesla hits roadblock in China about brand

Electric carmaker Tesla hits roadblock in China about brand
Popular electric carmaker Tesla Motors plans which enter the world's largest car market stalled have after a businessman in China trademark rights to the name claims, has the people close to the Californian company of Reuters.

The maker of the top-selling US electric car, the premium model S sedan with a price tag of $70,000, was originally hoping sources, but this idea on ice because of partially on the brand had to launch a flagship showroom in Beijing at the beginning of the year after three.

As a result, the 10-year-old company sits first storefront in China, in the Mall Parkview green Fangcaodi in the capital to planks. Although it gives no trace of Tesla, the shop with posters of the model S will, adorned, which launched in the United States last year in the life was.

In addition to the brand issue nor Tesla product registration with Chinese authorities, the sale of the model S, including complete, though one of the sources said almost Tesla through the process.

Kingston Chang, general manager of China, Tesla does not respond to requests for comment.

Atsuko DOI, one on the basis of Tokyo Tesla spokeswoman said the company this week started had "Reservations" for the battery-powered model S in China. In 2010, the company opened its first Asian showroom in Tokyo.

DOI said "We plan to open a Beijing-download this year" in an e-Mail this week without a more information.

Zhan Baosheng, the businessman in Guangdong Province, China has the "Tesla" brand in China, according to his agent, register the processed the papers to the name of the State administration for industry and commerce.

An official with Jinda brand, the Guangzhou agency that used Zhan, to a registration for the name Tesla said Zhan of the name registered in the year 2006. She refused to give any details about Zhan.

According to Jinda trademarks trademarks Zhan to the Tesla name in English and Chinese.

Zhan runs a website with the Tesla-China domain and operates a Tesla-branded account on popular Chinese microblog site Sina Weibo, collecting information from consumers, the placing of orders for or are interested in obtaining more information cars about his "Tesla".

Zhan of the Tesla Web site carries a brand logo a Tesla logo and showcases a product, if the car nothing like the Tesla model S. the website says the company "is nearly identical to the American dream to build China's best electric car."

Legal experts know brand disputes in China said it would be difficult for Tesla, which solve brand, if she buy Zhan out.

China has rules that protect well-known brands, which may trap but not relatively new company like Tesla.

"In the e-car market everyone knows about Tesla. But the burden is on Tesla to prove that its brand is recognized by car customers (in General), that it uses and eligible funded the brand for a sufficient time in China for the determination of the famous brand,"said Vincent Wang, Shanghai-based partner law firm Davis Wright Tremaine.

For years, Apple was involved before reaching $60 million deal last year for the rights to use the iPad brand in China in a similar case.

All roads lead to China

Tesla's founder billionaire Elon Musk expressed excitement at the development of the Chinese market, display on the high demand rich extension class for luxury cars because of the country.

"It is the world's largest market for premium sedans. If you something like, say the Mercedes S-class, they sell about half of its worldwide production in China, "musk said earnings during a conference call earlier this month.

Musk said that the company a special Chinese version S was developed from the model with a comfortable back seat. Many owners of exclusive deal with driver vehicles in China.

Passenger car sales totalled although electric 15 million in China last year and hybrid car sales numbered less than 24,000.

General Motors has the hybrid Chevrolet Volt in China since the beginning of 2012 sold. Daimler has launched in a joint venture with BYD co., also an electric car brand called the Denza.

Even when start a global car manufacturer electric cars in China, she said based consulting firm automotive foresight have a demanding future Yale Zhang, Director of the Shanghai.

High price tag and the lack of infrastructure charging could pose a problem. Positioning of green cars as "toys for the rich is a good suggestion, but even then Tesla happiness would be to sell a few hundred" model S sedans a year, said Zhan

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