Tesla Invested Heavily in Cybercab Branding, But Now It's Owned by Someone Else | Carscoops

      Tesla may need to pay or change its branding following the loss of priority on the Cybercab name.

      Recent developments indicate that Tesla’s attempt to trademark the name Cybercab has been put on hold by the USPTO.

      A French beverage company filed for the name prior to Tesla.

      The USPTO identified issues related to prior use and potential name confusion.

      Tesla is no stranger to obstacles in its pursuit of autonomy. These obstacles can stem from software challenges or hardware problems, but this time it revolves around something both fundamental and crucial: the trademark for the Cybercab name.

      New submissions from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) reveal that Tesla does not hold rights to the name. Consequently, it appears they will either need to pay or change their branding.

      The USPTO has recently suspended Tesla’s trademark application for Cybercab, and the situation is somewhat amusing. The notice, dated November 14, 2025, halts Tesla’s application (Serial No. 98806788) due to two unresolved issues.

      First, the office has reiterated a refusal based on a “likelihood of confusion” related to an existing registration. More significantly, however, the application is blocked by a previously filed application with an earlier submission date.

      Who is behind this? Unibev, a French beverage firm known for its alcoholic products. They submitted their application on October 28, 2024, which was 18 days after Tesla revealed the Cybercab, creating a dilemma for the automaker. Tesla did not file for trademark protection until November.

      Thus, instead of filing before the launch, Tesla delayed the application, allowing Unibev to secure it first. As stated in the suspension notice, Tesla's application will remain on hold until the earlier application is either registered or abandoned.

      In addition to this setback, Unibev has a prior history with Tesla. The company holds multiple trademarks for “Teslaquila,” a name that Tesla had previously attempted to use for its branded tequila.

      This suggests that Unibev is quite familiar with Tesla’s branding strategies and knows how to leverage them. Currently, Tesla has attempted to argue for priority but has not succeeded, leading to two potential paths.

      First, Tesla could negotiate with Unibev for trademark rights, which could entail a significant payout since Tesla has already invested considerably in Cybercab branding, and Unibev is likely aware of that.

      Reports from Electrek indicate that negotiations are already taking place. Alternatively, Tesla might abandon the Cybercab name, losing all previous investments in it, and opt for a rebranding effort. There is also the chance that the Cybercab may not ever launch, rendering the entire situation less significant.