Laotoule (老头乐) sues Xiaomi Auto (小米汽车), files request to invalidate design patents for front headlights and bumper

Lawsuit filed

A small Shandong electric-vehicle maker has moved to strike at one of China’s highest‑profile new carmakers. It has been reported that Shandong Yanlu New Energy Vehicle Co., Ltd. (山东燕鲁新能源车业有限公司) — a roughly 20‑person factory best known for making low‑speed “laotoule” (老头乐) style vehicles — has filed invalidation requests against three design patents owned by Xiaomi Auto (小米汽车). The patents cover rear bumper, front bumper and front headlamp designs.

Case details

According to public records on the China National Intellectual Property Administration (国家知识产权局) portal, the three design patents in question are: rear bumper (application / patent no. 2023300280286), front bumper (2023300278040) and front headlamp (2023300276401). It has been reported that an in‑person oral trial for the invalidation requests took place on the morning of March 26. Reportedly, the contested features resemble elements used on Xiaomi Auto’s SU7 and YU7 models.

Who is behind the challenge?

Shandong Yanlu New Energy, registered in Gaotang County, Liaocheng, with RMB 10 million registered capital, is reportedly wholly owned by one individual and markets small electric three‑wheelers under the “Yunlei” (韵蕾) brand. The company’s size and product lineup make the challenge striking: can a modest local maker of neighbourhood mobility scooters successfully invalidate design patents held by a newly public EV division of a major consumer‑tech conglomerate?

Why this matters

IP fights between incumbents and tiny competitors are nothing new in China’s cut‑throat EV market, but they are getting more attention as tech giants like Xiaomi push from smartphones into cars. For Western readers: these disputes matter because design patents are a key, relatively low‑cost tool to shape market openings — and because Beijing’s evolving enforcement environment affects how both domestic and foreign firms protect automotive designs. It has been reported that this is Xiaomi Auto’s first patent dispute since listing; the outcome could set a tone for how aggressively smaller Chinese makers contest design claims going forward.