American EV darling Tesla has filed a new trademark for its brand, in a move that has sparked speculation that it may be about to deliver a new category – restaurant services.
First reported by Elektrek on Tuesday, Tesla filed for three new trademarks including the company’s name, ‘Tesla’, as well as the company’s stylised ‘Tesla’ and the recognisable ‘T’ logo.
Unlike any of the company’s previous trademarks, however, the new trademarks are intended to cover the categories of “restaurant services, pop-up restaurant services, self-service restaurant services, take-out restaurant services”.
The natural conclusion to make from this news is that Tesla is considering expanding its Tesla Supercharger stations into the restaurant business – not unlike the many petrol station and truckstops that can be found across Australia’s freeways.
However, unlike our truckstops – which generally provide a food court-style offering of different restaurants – it looks like Tesla is planning to become a restaurant franchise, as well as an EV and EV charging superpower.
Worth noting, however, is Elon Musk’s 2018 ruminations about opening an “old-school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in Los Angeles.”
Elon Musk has been known to throw ideas against the wall to see what sticks, but over the years his kitschy desire to open a Tesla 50s-style drive-in diner has remained.
In early 2018, Tesla actually applied for permits to build a restaurant and Supercharger station in Santa Monica – and though the restaurant never came to fruition, the planned Santa Monica Supercharger station is set to become one of the largest in the world.
But Elon Musk hasn’t left the idea of bringing a 50s-style drive-in diner to the Santa Monica Supercharger station, explaining on Twitter in response to a Tweet that a “Major new Supercharger station coming to Santa Monica soon! Hoping to have 50s diner & 100 best movie clips playing too. Thanks Santa Monica city!”
The most recent plans obtained by Tesla fans shows that the Santa Monica Supercharger station will have 62 Supercharger stalls, solar canopies, and some amenities.
However, judging by Elon Musk’s continued fascination with opening a 50s diner, and the company’s recent application for restaurant-related trademarks, 50s kitsch might be returning to Santa Monica sooner than anyone might have realised.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.
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