Ever since the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled against SK Innovation – the forthcoming 2023 Ford F-150 Electric battery supplier – in a complaint from rival LG Chem that it misappropriated trade secrets related to EV battery technology, the two companies have been engaged in heated settlement talks which would nullify the ruling. However, these talks have not gone well as SK attempts to preserve its plans to open a manufacturing plant in Georgia.
Now, the embattled EV battery manufacturer is threatening to pull its entire business out of the U.S. if President Joe Biden does not overturn the ITC’s ruling, which he has the power to do by April 11th. “The company has been consulting with experts to discuss ways to withdraw our battery business from the United States,” an SK Innovation spokeswoman told Reuters. “We are reviewing options to move our U.S. battery production to Europe or China, which would cost us tens of billions of won.”
The ITC ruling allows SK to remain the Ford F-150 Electric battery supplier for four years, and until that time, the company can legally import lithium-ion batteries, battery cells, battery modules, and battery packs into America. After that, Ford would have to find a new battery supplier for the F-150 EV.
Thus far, SK has said that it is unwilling to accept any proposal from LG that would get in the way of its planned U.S. operations or reduce its business competence. In recent weeks, LG also suggested that it could take over SK’s currently-under-construction, $2.6 billion dollar factory in Georgia, much to the chagrin SK Innovation brass.
Currently, LG Chem is demanding that SK Innovation pay penalties of up to 3 million won ($2.462 million USD), while SK is proposing a settlement of less than $1 million won ($880k USD). Meanwhile, 2,600 potential jobs hang in the balance.
We’ll have more on this ongoing battle very soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford F-150 news, and continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
Maybe we should have the senators who proposed the death of the ICE by 2035 fix this mess?While they’re at it, they can fix the power grid and make sure there will never be another power outage. Then they can order these battery manufactures to produce enough batteries to supple every vehicle manufacturer. Kind of like Takata did with air bags. I mean, these smart politicians think all of this through correct? What could go wrong? Since they have all the answers to green vehicles, maybe they can then require every vehicle sold to be an EV by 2025. No sense beating around the bush. AOC will vote for it.
Just buy from China like most EV makers will do. Ford cheapo vehicles made in Mexico are a joke.
Hey todd…..stick it!
Your so clever. I hope my children grow up to be commies just like you…
Its billions of dollars not millions…big difference
im with LG, SK stole tech, gotta pay to play
id call SK bluff
This article is light on specifics. As an IP attorney there is a lot that goes into these ruling and hundreds of millions in R&D. USA needs to respect IP rights. This article does an injustice to the issues and just tries to insight opinions!
Definition of Liberal: Free Thinker and Critical Thinker
Real world reference; Libertarian Party=Minimum Government, Maximum Freedom
Christian Biblical Reference;
Galatians Chapter 5 Verse 1 Wherewith the Liberty that Christ hath made us free not to be entangled with the yoke of bondage again.
Me=Christian, Libertarian, Centrist, while Democrats and Republicans are still our extended family no matter how many that want to kill, steal, and destroy no matter the color or background it is demonic and not of God.
Respectfully, this is the FORD AUTHORITY car blog….. not a political opinion diving board for the self obsessed. ‘IP rights’ makes the case that there is much more to this than is being shared and that we all operate in a free market with legal guard rails. The fact that ‘batteries’ are at issue threatens major U.S. car manufacturers ability to operate/compete. It really doesn’t matter if you prefer ICE or BEV tech… you should want the best for U.S. industry and our workers. Plan ‘B’ would make good sense to repair our relationships with out ‘friends’ in Canada and build on North American strengths. Just sayin…..
We are a great country that will succeed in a Georgia Plant , screw China and Mexico we are the best at what we can do . Stand tall Americans, unite be diligent we were always the best at manufacturing and Trump was bringing us back to that status . So lose your liberal attitude and be strong .
Todd got you good Bob
Damn i miss president Trump
Damn straight they borrowed over 14000 per american taxpayer to give us 1400 stimulous as our infrastructure crumbles and our roads are all substandard! Mind you a large majority of american taxpayers are unemployed, on gov. Assistance and unemployed as gas prices rise and more babies are being killed on that $14000 dime!!!! 2nd coming gotta be close!!!!!
You[SK] pull your battery manufacturer from Georgia and we’ll pull our troops from Seoul and let the little man from the north annex your pathetic country…
They are going to need more coal fired power plants to charge all these electric vehicles .
Exactly this is not about politics, sick brainwashed people of US. I get that they mentioned BIDEN in the article but he make a decision that will have a huge effect on Chinese-American IP theft and the consequences attached. If SK is not Korean based then we should pass on China’s bolstering. Korea is not China and does innovate and respects IP and Trademarks… just saying.
When the small China suppliers get screwed by a judgment against them., they just opened a new company and a new factory name. With SK since it’s such a big contract they are really feeling the pressure and it shows how the Chinese can lie, cheat and steal usually with impunity. They got caught with their pants down and lost to a Korean company with big pull in the US and overseas. Time to take your medicine and sell out somebody else
SK are ip thieves. The problem here is that FORD for tangled up with them. FORD will skin a million folks if they think it’ll save them a dollar and they think they can get away with it. They stole the operating system their vehicles use because the fine for poaching talentwas less than the license fees… Same as every other big business.
Tesla will buy Ford for the F-150 and produce the batteries themselves.
Relying on Biden to strike a blow against China, his main source of income?
Not.
Gonna.
Happen.