Tesla is taking its legal battle over unconnected charging stations in Ljungby to a higher court after losing a previous ruling. The electric vehicle company, operating through its Swedish subsidiary TM Sweden AB, is appealing to Kammarrätten following a defeat in Förvaltningsrätten in February.
The dispute centers on 20 charging stations that were installed in Ljungby but remain disconnected from the power grid. Ljungby Energinät AB, the municipally owned energy company, refused to connect the stations to the electricity network.
The conflict originates from Tesla's ongoing labor dispute with Swedish union IF Metall. According to court documents, the refusal to connect the charging stations is related to sympathy actions by union Seko, whose members work at Ljungby Energinät AB. The court ruled that connecting the stations would make the ongoing labor blockade ineffective.
Tesla initially requested connection of the charging station in August 2023, with an expected connection date of March the following year. The company has also reportedly been denied by the Energy Market Inspectorate, citing the ongoing labor conflict.
In its appeal, Tesla states that it has never questioned whether the sympathy actions were permissible, but argues that the charging stations could be connected without affecting the blockade. The case continues as Tesla seeks to have the charging infrastructure activated.