Tesla has escalated its fight over the “Cybercab” name, filing a 167-page, 5-count formal opposition at the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board against UNIBEV, a French beverage wholesaler that has been squatting on the trademark. The filing, obtained by Electrek, accuses UNIBEV of fraud, bad faith, and trademark dilution, just weeks before Tesla plans to ramp Cybercab production at Gigafactory Texas.
The move comes less than two weeks after Tesla secured a 30-day extension to oppose UNIBEV’s trademark application, signaling it wasn’t ready to walk away from the name. Now, Tesla has made clear it intends to fight for it.
Tesla accuses UNIBEV of fraud and bad faith
The opposition filing, dated February 18, 2026, lays out five separate legal claims against UNIBEV’s trademark application (Serial No. 79/412,082), which covers goods and services in Classes 12 and 39 — vehicles, cars, and even air vehicles.
Tesla’s first count alleges outright fraud on the USPTO. According to the filing, UNIBEV told the trademark office that no other entity was using “cyber,” “cab,” or “cyber cab” in connection with similar goods. Tesla argues this statement was knowingly false, the company had already unveiled the Cybercab at its “We, Robot” event in October 2024 and the name was widely reported in global media – albeit Tesla failing to file for it at the time.
The second count attacks UNIBEV’s bona fide intent to use the mark. UNIBEV is a beverage wholesale company. Its principal, Jean-Louis Lentali, has no apparent history of manufacturing, selling, or marketing vehicles of any kind. Tesla argues the filing was a textbook trademark squatting operation, file for a famous name in a product category you never intend to enter, then extract payment from the rightful owner.
Tesla bolsters this argument with a pointed detail: Lentali personally follows Elon Musk, Kimbal Musk, Maye Musk, and SpaceX on social media. It’s hard to argue ignorance of Tesla’s Cybercab when you’re tracking the Musk family’s every post.
A pattern of squatting
This isn’t UNIBEV’s first run at Tesla’s brand. The company already holds trademarks for “Teslaquila”, the name Tesla once tried to use for its limited-run branded tequila. As we reported in January, UNIBEV also filed for “Cyberquad,” another Tesla-associated name, and “Cybertaxi.”
Tesla launches legal war over ‘Cybercab’ name against seltzer company
