CATL has initiated legal action against Hicheng Energy Storage for "unfair competition disputes," timing its move during a pivotal period for Hicheng's upcoming IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The case has been lodged with the Intermediate People's Court of Ningde City, Fujian Province, and is scheduled for a court hearing on August 12. Wu Zuyu, the chairman of Hicheng Energy Storage and a former key technical figure at CATL, has previously incurred a penalty of 1 million yuan for breaching a non-compete agreement and now finds himself at the center of this new legal battle. The outcome of this lawsuit could potentially impact the IPO process of Hicheng Energy Storage.