Tesla Applies for Emblems on ‘Cybercar’ and ‘Cybervehicle,’ However What Do They Imply?

Tesla submitted functions to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Workplace on Wednesday to register the phrases “Cybercar” and “Cybervehicle,” based on paperwork revealed to the USPTO web site. The electrical car firm has beforehand filed functions for Cybercab and Cyberbus, two merchandise that don’t truly exist but, in addition to Cybertruck, the official truck of middle-aged dads with out youngster visitation rights.

The massive query is whether or not the Cybercar and Cybervehicle are meant to be one thing that ultimately will get a public launch or stays vaporware and serves little objective past juicing Tesla’s inventory worth. Each choices appear equally possible on this second.

The regulation agency Gerben IP, which was the primary to report on the trademark functions, notes that when USPTO evaluations and approves a trademark, firms like Tesla usually have about three years to start utilizing the title in commerce earlier than they threat dropping it. Put one other manner, you may’t simply park a trademark like an online area indefinitely. Ultimately, it’s important to promote the product, or it’ll get taken away.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduced on an earnings name Wednesday that he was discontinuing the Model S and X. “We anticipate to wind down S and X manufacturing subsequent quarter and principally cease manufacturing,” stated Musk. “That’s barely unhappy, nevertheless it’s time to deliver the S and X applications to an finish, and it’s a part of our general shift to an autonomous future.”

What does an autonomous future imply? For Musk, it means a deal with issues like humanoid robots. He’s been hyping up his Optimus robotic like loopy, even supposing Tesla is properly behind opponents with regards to capabilities. Anytime he rolls out Optimus to reveal some spectacular feat like pouring beer or folding laundry, it usually seems that there’s a human controlling the robotic remotely. Typically with hilariously bad results.

However the query is what which means for Musk’s new names, the Cybercar and the Cybervehicle. One chance is that these are names which might be someway associated to the Cybertruck and will likely be autos with extra boxy designs. One other chance is that these are going to be extra carefully associated to the Cybercab, an idea automotive Musk unveiled in late 2024 that seats simply two folks and doesn’t have a steering wheel.

The Cybercab shouldn’t be confused with the Robotaxi, which is the car shuttling passengers in Austin, Texas. These Robotaxis have a steering wheel and are principally simply common Tesla autos with human minders. Is the Cybercar and Cybervehicle envisioned as one thing with out a steering wheel? We merely don’t know but.

The opposite choice is that these autos can have one thing to do with the flying automotive that Musk teased on Joe Rogan final 12 months. The Tesla CEO stated he would demo the mysterious car earlier than the end of 2025. That didn’t occur, clearly. However at any time when issues are wanting tough for Tesla’s enterprise, Musk will typically attempt to dangle one other shiny object in entrance of Wall Avenue to maintain his inventory worth afloat.

Gerben IP appears to favor the speculation that the brand new filings are someway associated to the Cybertruck: “Given Tesla’s monitor file, it wouldn’t be stunning if one among these names ultimately finally ends up on a smaller, extra accessible cousin to the Cybertruck.” However we’re skeptical. Cybertruck gross sales have been in the bathroom, and it appears more likely that it could be associated to some vaporware extra in step with the Cybercab.

Tesla didn’t reply to questions emailed Thursday, although that’s not precisely a shock. Each firm below Musk’s management is actively hostile to the press, and the billionaire shut down Tesla’s PR division years in the past. We’ll replace this text if, by some miracle, we hear again from Tesla.