Volkswagen asks US government to extend SK battery import grace period to 4 years

Input 2021.02.13 15:44 | Revision 2021.02.13 15:54

According to Reuters news agency on the 12th (local time), Volkswagen made a statement on the day and said, “We will request the US government to extend the period during which SK Innovation can import batteries for at least four years.”

Volkswagen said, “They have become unintended victims of the dispute between SK Innovation and LG Energy Solution,” and urged, “Ultimately, they hope that SK Innovation and LG Energy Solution will resolve this dispute outside the court of law.”

Earlier, on the 10th, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) decided to win a lawsuit on the infringement of battery trade secrets by SK Innovation and LG Energy Solutions. Accordingly, ITC banned SK Innovation’s import and production of related parts and materials such as battery cells in the US for 10 years.

However, ITC granted Ford a four-year grace period and a two-year grace period for Volkswagen, respectively, in order to prevent damage to the automaker, which has a contract with SK Innovation.

Meanwhile, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is known to have demanded a veto from President Biden, saying, “The impact of this lawsuit will inevitably hurt SK Innovation’s establishment of an electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia.”