Elon Musk threatens Wirelane with cease-and-desist letter

Wirelane founder Constantin Schwaab recently received a warning letter from Musk's lawyers. The accusation: damage to reputation.

Wirelane founder Constantin Schwaab recently received a warning letter from Elon Musk's German lawyers, as the Handelsblatt reported. Musk accuses Schwaab of damaging his reputation. In the summer, he sent a circular to customers in which he warned them about Tesla charging stations. These were not compatible with German calibration law, which could become a problem for customers. In the circular, he also pointed out a suitable alternative: Wirelane charging points.

In an interview with the Handelsblatt newspaper, Schwaab also confessed his clear business interest. Tesla is now accusing him and Wirelane of damaging its reputation and is even threatening to escalate to a cease-and-desist declaration. According to Tesla, the statements in the circular disparage the car manufacturer's products and business relationships.

According to Schwaab, there had been no other contact prior to the letter from the lawyers. However, his start-up, founded in Munich in 2016, is not a direct competitor of Tesla: Firstly, the entire Wirelane fleet consists of Teslas. Secondly, Tesla offers fast-charging stations, which Wirelane does not have in its range.