The German tabloid Bild printed the allegations, citing judicial information. In response to the paperwork, Eichhorn is claimed to be concerned within the Berlin-based firm Prime Strong Holding GmbH, which is creating a solid-state battery for electromobility, by “cross-border firm nesting.” Prime Strong sees itself in competitors with the VW subsidiary QuantumScape, which additionally develops solid-state batteries – though QuantumScape is considerably extra current and extra superior, there may be nonetheless a aggressive state of affairs on paper.
In response to the Bild report, Eichhorn can also be mentioned to have handed on his insider information of VW, which the latter denies by way of a lawyer. The accusation formulated within the article: the general public prosecutor’s workplace is investigating an ex-employee of Prime Strong for misuse of enterprise secrets and techniques. Within the judicial information, which the newspaper was apparently capable of view, Eichhorn is accused of getting a “good relationship with the worker.” “Now the investigators need to know extra about Eichhorn’s function and a doubtful assembly with the accused,” it reads.
It’s clear that Eichhorn is not directly concerned in Prime Strong: 47.5 per cent of Prime Strong has been owned by the Swiss firm Worth Grid Ventures since mid-2021. In response to Bild, Sciurus GmbH is behind this, the place VW supervisor Eichhorn is claimed to handle his belongings. Eichhorn has been knowledgeable by his lawyer that the accusation that he had not accurately registered a ‘attainable shareholding’ together with his employer is fake. Prime Strong informed the publication that the corporate wouldn’t help ‘dangerous PR’ towards the co-shareholder – not directly confirming that Eichhorn is among the co-shareholders.
Volkswagen has additionally already responded, however not like Prime Strong, it has not taken sides – the Group merely acknowledged that it will not remark additional for “information safety causes and our confidentiality obligations below labour contract regulation.” Nonetheless, additionally it is attainable that VW was not likely ready: in keeping with firm circles, the matter is claimed to have come up unexpectedly and an inside assessment might be nonetheless ongoing. Eichhorn nonetheless describes himself on LinkedIn as a “Group Consultant Platform Future Mobility and DataSpace Mobility” at Volkswagen AG.
Eichhorn labored at Ford, VW and Bentley earlier than transferring to the VDA as Managing Director in 2012. In 2016, he returned to VW, this time as Chief Improvement Officer at Group stage below Herbert Diess. On this function, he reportedly mentioned in 2017: “If somebody achieves a breakthrough within the stable gas cell, then it has the potential for a big leap in prices, capability and measurement.” In 2018, nonetheless with Eichhorn as Head of Improvement, VW turned the biggest shareholder in QuantumScape. Not solely has QuantumScape now delivered a number of generations of prototype cells, however the VW subsidiary PowerCo has licensed QuantumScape’s “encouraging outcomes” in solid-state battery cells.
bild.de