Tesla’s ‘Cybercab’ Launch Hit by Sneaky Trademark Battle with a Superfan

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Tesla is currently locked in a messy legal battle over the Cybercab name with a French beverage company that beat Elon Musk to the trademark office by just six days.

According to a report from Fast Company, the dispute began shortly after Musk announced the robotaxi name during a Tesla earnings call on April 23, 2024. Despite the public announcement, Tesla failed to file for the trademark immediately. This allowed Jean-Louis Lentali, a Tesla shareholder and co-owner of a French wholesaler called UniBev, to file his own application for “Cybercab” in France on April 29. Tesla did not file its own application until October.

Under international law, the French filing was granted priority, giving UniBev the rights to the name both in the United States and abroad. Tesla has since filed a massive 167-page complaint with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, accusing UniBev of being a “bad faith trademark squatter.” Tesla’s legal team pointed out that UniBev has a history of snatching up Musk-related names, including “Cybervan,” “Cyber Diner,” and even “Teslaquila Hard Seltzer.”

Can you see a beverage maker releasing a drink called Cybercab? It just doesn’t make sense.

Mass production of the Cybercab is expected to begin this April, with sales slated for later this year. If the trademark dispute goes to trial, a final decision might not be reached until 2027. While Tesla has filed backup trademarks for “Cybercar” and “Cybervehicle,” the company has shown no signs of abandoning the Cybercab branding.

UniBev has until April 19 to respond to Tesla’s complaint. If they don’t reach a settlement, Musk may find himself launching a vehicle that he doesn’t technically own the name for in the U.S. market.