New Tesla Roadster logo resembles the letter V, now all that remains is to add the remaining eight characters

Tesla has once again filed a trademark application related to its long-awaited second-generation Roadster electric vehicle. This is not the first such step, sparking both hope and skeptical comments.

New Logo and Scope of Application

The design, filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on April 28, is a shield-shaped emblem. The word “ROADSTER” is located at the top of the shield, and four vertical lines are at the bottom. According to the documents, these lines symbolize “speed, driving force, heat, or wind.”

First spotted by Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt, this mark covers a wide range of products and services far beyond the car itself. The list includes: electric vehicles, charging equipment, clothing, footwear, headwear, and even children’s clothing.

Third Attempt in a Year

This is at least the third Roadster-related trademark Tesla has filed this year. Previously, the company registered a stylized logo with the word “Roadster” and a minimalist silhouette of the car. None of these applications have been officially approved yet.

Promises and Reality

During the April earnings call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the company could unveil the production version “in about a month,” although he admitted the Roadster is unlikely to be a significant source of revenue. This comment was just another in a long series of delays spanning nearly a decade.

Tesla first unveiled the second-generation Roadster in 2017, generating enormous hype. They promised record-breaking acceleration, range, and even an optional SpaceX-inspired package. Since then, Musk has repeatedly announced demonstrations and production timelines, but the car has never gone into series production.

Deposit Issues

Tesla has also been collecting pre-orders for the Roadster for nearly ten years. Some reservation holders have publicly complained about difficulties getting their deposits back. It is reported that the agreement for the Founders Series stipulated that at least part of the $50,000 deposit was non-refundable.

Given that the new shield logo closely resembles a large letter “V,” some skeptics jokingly associate it with the word “vaporware.”

Credit: USPTO / Tesla

While Tesla continues to register trademarks and promise a quick launch, the Roadster story is turning into a peculiar symbol of ambitions that are hard to realize. Despite the company’s technological progress in other areas, this particular project remains one of the most controversial. On one hand, new logos and applications indicate that work on the car has not stopped. On the other hand, years of delays and problems with deposit refunds are undermining the trust of even the most devoted fans. Whether the new Roadster will become a reality or remain just a good idea that never found its embodiment, only time will tell. For now, every new step by Tesla in this direction is met with a dose of irony, because after eight years of waiting, even the best promises begin to lose their weight.