It was all over the trade news outlets yesterday that LTC have lost their embittered trademark battle with MetroCab.
And yet when the eye watering news came out that LTC parent company Geely would be making a zero emission electric vehicle with the intention of offering it to Uber.....not a word appeared in our trade media.
But then again, I suppose it was only to be expected with all the advertising revenue flying about.
Funny how a few quids worth of advertising can change values in the Taxi trade.
Let's go back to 14th June 2016, and have a little look at what was published in the Automotive News China.
'London Taxi Co., a U.K. subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co.,
showed the TX5 prototype in Paris last Thursday.
showed the TX5 prototype in Paris last Thursday.
The rollout of the TX5 is part of a $400 million program that includes a new factory near Coventry, England.
In addition to targeting traditional cabbies, London Taxi also plans to offer the car to ride-sharing apps such as Uber and its competitors.'
Source Automotive News China. 14th June 2016.
I don't recall reading this in any of our Taxi trade publication.
Now Coventry's London Taxi Company have lost the black cab trademark battle, we could see both MetroCab and Nissan undercutting LTC's retail pricing.
The battle has only just started to warm up, with other manufacturers waiting in the wings.
Two Court of Appeal judges ruled that the shape of a traditional London black cab is not distinctive, which has now opened the doors for other manufactures to pitch for a slice of the London Taxi market.
Lord Justice Kitchin and Lord Justice Floyd upheld a ruling on Wednesday that was made last year by a High Court judge.
The London Taxi Company, wanted to claim an exclusive right to the shape. But n January 2016 Mr Justice Arnold ruled that the shape was not a "valid registered trade mark" after a High Court hearing in London.
He said the shape lacked "distinctive character".
Two appeal court judges have now dismissed the taxi company's challenge to Mr Justice Arnold's ruling, following a Court of Appeal hearing in London in July.
Sharon Daboul, a specialist in trademark disputes at law firm EIP, said the ruling would clear the road for the launch of a similar-shaped "eco-friendly" taxi.
At present we are looking at three definites who will be entering the London Taxi zero emissions race ...LEVC, MetroCab and Nissan. Waiting in the wings are Toyota and this little beauty below from Turkish manufacturer Karsan.
London Taxi from Royal College of Art on Vimeo.
0 Response to "Lost TradeMark Battle Could See London Taxi Market Open To Other Manufactures."
Post a Comment