Yulu Bikes Sues Kinetic Green in Trademark Dispute Over "Zulu" E-Scooter

Yulu Bikes, has filed a lawsuit against competitor Kinetic Green Energy for trademark infringement. The lawsuit centres around Kinetic Green's use of the name "Zulu" for its new electric scooter line, which Yulu claims is too similar to their own brand name.

The dispute arose after Kinetic Green launched its "Zulu" scooters in December 2023, shortly after Yulu secured fresh funding of ₹160 crore. Yulu argues that the similar names could cause confusion among consumers and potentially harm their brand identity.

Kinetic Green emphasised their responsible business practices and the legal registration of their trademarks, including "Kinetic Green Zulu" and "Zulu." Yulu has declined to comment on the matter.

The legal battle began in January 2024 when Yulu filed a case against Kinetic Green, seeking a temporary injunction to prevent them from using the "Zulu '' name. While the lower court initially denied the injunction, Yulu appealed to the Karnataka High Court.

The High Court partially granted Yulu's request in February 2024, issuing a temporary injunction against Kinetic Green. This order prohibits Kinetic Green from using the trademarks "Yulu" and "Zulu," or any similar variations, in their advertising, sales, or branding.

Facing this restriction, Kinetic Green petitioned the High Court to expedite the hearing, arguing that the injunction poses a significant hardship. Yulu agreed to an accelerated hearing but stressed the need to maintain the injunction until a final decision is reached.

The High Court has set a deadline of March 11, 2024, for the commercial court to reach a final decision on the interim applications. This case highlights the growing trend of trademark disputes within India's rapidly expanding electric vehicle industry.

In legal terms, a trademark protects a company's unique identifier such as a name, logo, or slogan. This helps customers distinguish between different brands and avoid confusion. Companies often fiercely defend their trademarks to prevent any infringement. Previous instances include luxury car maker BMW successfully suing a three-wheeler manufacturer for using a visually and phonetically similar brand name, and fashion house Monte Carlo reaching an agreement with automaker Skoda to licence the use of the disputed "Monte Carlo" name.

We have reached out to both involved parties for their official stance on the matter. We shall update the same here once we get a response from either.