"Cybercab" is currently one of Tesla's most important models, but the trademark name is in the hands of another company. Tesla obviously cannot accept this situation. According to reports, Tesla has recently submitted a 167-page formal objection document containing 5 accusations to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.Sued French beverage wholesaler UNIBEV, which has long occupied the "Cybercab" trademark.
Tesla made five accusations in its objection, claiming that UNIBEV engaged in fraud and malicious pre-registration.
Tesla pointed out that UNIBEV had falsely claimed to the Trademark Office that no other entity had used words such as "cyber", "cab" or "cyber cab" on similar products. However, in fact, Tesla had officially released the Cybercab model as early as the "We, Robot" conference in October 2024. The name has been widely reported by global media, but Tesla did not submit a trademark application in time at that time.
In addition, Tesla also questioned UNIBEV’s intention to use it, believing that as a beverage company, it has no experience in vehicle manufacturing and sales.This squatting is a typical "textbook trademark squatting" - registering a well-known name in a field that you have no intention of getting involved in, and then asking the legal owner for a transfer fee.
In addition, this is not the first time UNIBEV has tried to register the Tesla brand. UNIBEV has also applied to register "Cyberquad" (another Tesla-related name) and "Cybertaxi". The company already owns the trademark for "Teslaquila," a name Tesla has tried to use for its limited-edition brand of tequila.
Tesla’s current objection to the company comes at a critical period for CyberCab’s mass production and launch. On February 17, Tesla rolled off the production line of its first steering-wheel-less Cybercab at its Texas factory. It plans to mass-produce it in April and deliver Cybercab priced at less than $30,000 by 2027.