Tesla is used to battling complex software glitches and hardware bottlenecks. However, their latest obstacle is embarrassingly simple. They forgot to call “dibs” on their own brand name. New filings from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) reveal that Tesla does not actually own the rights to the name Cybercab. It turns out that while Elon Musk was busy dreaming of a driverless future, a French beverage company called Unibev was busy filing paperwork.
The USPTO recently suspended Tesla’s trademark application. According to the suspension notice, Tesla is blocked by a “likelihood of confusion” with an existing registration. More importantly, Unibev filed their claim on October 28, 2024, just 18 days after Tesla’s glitzy reveal event but, crucially, before the carmaker bothered to file for protection in November. Because Tesla waited until after the launch to secure the name, the French alcohol purveyors beat them to the punch.
This isn’t just a random legal fluke. It’s a grudge match. Unibev is the same company that owns the trademarks for “Teslaquila”, the name Tesla desperately wanted for its branded tequila years ago. It appears Unibev is well-aware of Tesla’s branding habits and knows exactly how to capitalize on them. Now, Tesla is backed into a corner. Their application will remain frozen until Unibev’s filing is either registered or abandoned.
The options moving forward are equally painful for the automotive giant. Option one, negotiate a massive, likely exorbitant payout to Unibev to buy the rights. A process that is reportedly already underway. Option two, scrap the Cybercab branding entirely, set fire to the millions already spent on marketing, and start a total rebranding effort.
Of course, there’s always the third option. The vehicle never launches at all, making this entire trademark circus a moot point. Either way, it’s a very expensive lesson in the importance of filing your paperwork before you call the paparazzi.
