Tesla has submitted a trademark for a custom Roadster badge as the unveiling of the nine-year-old supercar approaches, a reveal that has been delayed each year since 2020.
TL;DR Tesla has submitted a trademark for a unique Roadster badge, marking its first standalone vehicle branding aside from the Cybertruck. The vehicle was initially promised in 2017 for a 2020 release but has not yet been produced, with its reveal now anticipated in late May or June 2026.
Tesla has applied for a trademark for a distinctive Roadster badge, reminiscent of a Lamborghini design. This vehicle was first promised nearly a decade ago. A prototype was introduced in November 2017 featuring a 200-kilowatt-hour battery, a claimed range of 620 miles, a 0 to 60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, and a starting price of $200,000. Production was initially slated for 2020, but that has yet to materialize in 2020, 2021, 2022, or any subsequent year.
The trademark application, filed on April 28 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office under an intent-to-use basis, includes a stylized triangular shield that features the Roadster wordmark and four vertical lines symbolizing “speed, propulsion, heat, or wind.” This filing represents the most significant development for the Roadster in almost ten years.
The badge
This trademark application is atypical for Tesla, as, outside the Cybertruck's geometrical emblem, the company has not assigned standalone badges to its vehicles. The Model S, 3, X, and Y utilize Tesla’s corporate T logo. The Roadster is receiving customized branding usually associated with supercar brands: a unique shield, a custom wordmark in an elongated angular font with segmented letters, and a separate silhouette comprised of three flowing curved lines that outline the vehicle's profile.
Tesla filed two separate trademarks: one for a stylized “ROADSTER” wordmark in a triangular shield and one for the vehicle silhouette. Both were submitted on an intent-to-use basis, indicating Tesla's plan to commercialize these marks in the future.
In 2022, Elon Musk made it clear that the Roadster was deprioritized in favor of the Cybertruck, stating that the truck would be completed first. The Cybertruck eventually launched in late 2023 after numerous delays. The Roadster has since remained in a state of anticipated readiness, with Musk providing updates that have largely extended the timeline.
During Tesla's first-quarter 2026 earnings call, Musk indicated that the Roadster might be unveiled “maybe in a month or so,” suggesting a reveal in late May or early June 2026. He characterized the event as “one of the most exciting product unveils ever.” If this reveal proceeds as planned, it will be the first public commitment concerning the Roadster fulfilled in nine years.
The promises
The specifications of the Roadster have evolved over time. The 2017 prototype boasted a 0 to 60 time of 1.9 seconds, which Musk revised to 1.1 seconds in 2021, and later stated in 2024 that the target had dipped below one second.
The optional SpaceX package, first mentioned in 2018, is said to include about 10 cold-air rocket thrusters integrated into the body of the car for enhanced cornering, braking, and acceleration. Musk has suggested that these thrusters could enable the vehicle to “fly,” although the definition of flight in this scenario is unclear. The original claim of a 620-mile range from 2017 has not changed, nor has the $200,000 base price announced nearly ten years ago.
Tesla has increased its capital expenditures for 2026 to $25 billion, distributed across six concurrent production lines for various projects, including the Cybercab robotaxi, the Semi truck, next-generation vehicle platforms, Optimus humanoid robots, energy storage, and battery production. The Roadster is not identified as a priority within this budget allocation.
According to Musk’s comments during the earnings call, production would commence 12 to 18 months after the demonstration, indicating a possible start date in mid-to-late 2027 or extending into 2028. Customers who placed $50,000 deposits for the Founders Series edition in 2017 will have waited over a decade for delivery if this timeline is accurate.
The market
When the Roadster was announced in 2017, the electric supercar market was largely vacant. The Rimac Concept Two was still a prototype, while the Lotus Evija was years from production, and the Pininfarina Battista had yet to be revealed.
Fast forward nine years, and the market landscape has significantly changed. Rimac has been producing the Nevera since 2023, which currently holds the record for fastest acceleration in a production electric vehicle at 1.74 seconds to 60 mph. The Lucid Air Sapphire boasts 1,234 horsepower for $249,000, while Porsche has accelerated its electric vehicle strategy, launching the all-electric Cayenne and enhancing
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Tesla has submitted a trademark for a custom Roadster badge as the unveiling of the nine-year-old supercar approaches, a reveal that has been delayed each year since 2020.
Tesla submitted a distinctive Roadster shield emblem to the USPTO, marking its first custom vehicle branding. The car was initially promised in 2017 with a delivery date set for 2020, but it has yet to be constructed.