image via Twitter
In a recent tweet, user Jay in Shanghai shared a photo depicting alcoholic beverages with the Tesla Inc., logo on them.
WTF! Meanwhile in China 🇨🇳 buy your bottle of Tesla coming to a store near you!#Tesla #TeslaChina #GF3 #OnlyinChina #特斯拉 #中国 $TSLA pic.twitter.com/w3F8Y1X9aW
— Jay in Shanghai 电动 Jay 🇨🇳 (@JayinShanghai) March 10, 2020
Tesla Inc., does not sell or endorse the beverages. However, their presence on shelves in China sheds some light on the company’s public perception in the region. Tesla has had some notable interactions with the Chinese market as of late. Chinese consumers were frustrated about a recent supply chain issue. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, a shipment of Model 3’s lacked the latest microchip models. Following the incident, brighter forecasts coupled the recent approval of the production of the Model 3 on Chinese soil in Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory.
The prevalence of Tesla-labeled alcoholic beverages hearkens back to CEO Elon Musk’s jokes about ‘Teslaquila’ in the Fall of 2018. What began as a light jest teased potential commercial value as Musk filed a trademark for the name.
It’s clear that the Chinese beverages popping up on store shelves have no official connection to Tesla. However, it wouldn’t be unthinkable to see Tesla expand into the food and beverage market. They have manufactured electric vehicles, pioneered charging stations, and revolutionized green energy. The company has shown time and time again that it’s able to obtain success in a wide range of commercial sectors.
