There are many things that Tesla is associated with. A man-child whose radio appearances can cause the stock value to plummet. Massive vehicle callbacks. Hey, they’ve even been subject to a hostile workplace suit. Or two. Or three. Thing is, all of these things are fair game to associate with Tesla because they stem from the company. Now, as much as “Tesla Power” may sound like a slogan Elon Musk came up with after 15 hours of intense deliberation, it isn’t. That’s the basis for a lawsuit that was recently filed in New Delhi. From Reuters:
Elon Musk’s carmaker Tesla has sued an Indian battery maker for infringing its trademark by using the brand name “Tesla Power” to promote its products, seeking damages and a permanent injunction against the company from a New Delhi judge.
Tesla in a hearing at the Delhi High Court this week said the Indian company had continued advertising its products with the “Tesla Power” brand despite a cease-and-desist notice sent in April 2022, according to details of the proceedings posted on the court website on Friday.
Tesla Power doesn’t seem to be a big threat to Tesla proper. They are primarily focused on making lead acid batteries and, for what it’s worth, have been competing in India years before Musk’s Tesla entered the market. While I do not know the intricacies of Indian trademark law, I’d imagine that they also have some pretty strong “First Come, First Served” sentiments when it comes to naming and selling your products.
Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s. He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com and by tweet at @WritesForRent.
