Tesla’s long-delayed second-generation Roadster just got another small sign of life.
On April 28, the automaker filed a trademark application for a new Roadster logo tied to its long-awaited halo EV. The insignia is a “triangle-shaped figure with bent corners” that includes “four vertical lines at the bottom.”
The filing covers electric vehicles, home charging equipment, vehicle services, and apparel — including hats, footwear, and even infant wear — suggesting Tesla may be positioning the Roadster brand for uses beyond the high-priced sports car itself.
The trademark filing was first spotted by Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt.
It’s at least the third Roadster-related trademark application Tesla has filed this year. In February, the automaker submitted filings for two additional badges — one featuring the Roadster name in a stylized font and another depicting a sleek vehicle silhouette made up of three lines.
The three applications have not received official approval from the US Patent and Trademark Office, according to public files. Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
The Roadster nameplate is a key part of Tesla’s history. It was the company’s first vehicle — a rebadged Lotus Elise powered by a battery pack instead of the UK sports carmaker’s gasoline engine — and helped establish Tesla as a credible electric-vehicle maker years before the Model S arrived. Tesla stopped selling the sports car in 2012.
CEO Elon Musk first announced a second-generation Roadster in 2017, promising a high-performance electric sports car with record-setting acceleration and range figures — and has even floated the possibility that a SpaceX-inspired version could briefly hover since its initial announcement.
The company began accepting reservations and deposits of $50,000 to $250,000 in November 2017.
Still, the vehicle has repeatedly missed production targets. Business Insider previously reported that Tesla ramped up development on the coming vehicle last summer.
“We may be able to debut that in a month or so,” Musk said during the company’s April 22 earnings call. “I think it will be one of the most exciting product unveils ever. I’m not sure — I don’t think it moves the needle massively from a revenue standpoint.”
