Earlier today we shared with you pictures of a pearl white Tesla Semi spotted on the roads heading towards Giga Nevada. Not only was it a brand new colour, it also featured a number of new design features compared to the original prototypes.
Upon closer inspection, it appears as though one of the more noticeable design changes was implemented to invalidate Nikola Motors‘ design patent infringement lawsuit against Tesla (h/t Alex).
As seen in the image below included in the lawsuit (full copy here), Nikola was claiming Tesla stole the continuous design of the windshield and side window. It specifically called out the angle of the side window extending onto the door.
With the latest build seen this week, Tesla has elongated their design by adding a new third window that extends past the door onto the rear panel.
It even appears as though it is not a real window as there is nothing behind it when viewed from the rear. You can see more pictures of the Semi here.
It is unclear at this time if this will be enough to invalidate Nikola’s already dubious claim of patent infringement, but it certainly puts a damper on their lawsuit.
