Grim News: Tesla Might Call Its Pickup 'Cybrtrk'

Since Tesla CEO Elon Musk first uttered the word, we’ve avoided mentioning what seemed to be a nerd-fantasy placeholder name for the automaker’s upcoming electric pickup. Unfortunately, trademark applications reveal Tesla might actually make use of the word that dare not speak its name: “Cybertruck,” or, even worse, “Cybrtrk,” because vowels aren’t cool in Silicon Valley.

Speaking personally, it’s an unfortunate turn of events.

The trademark filings, first noticed by Motor1, carry a November 6th application date. This timing jibes with Musk’s first use of the name. There’s three trademarks in total — one each for Cybertruck and Cybrtrk, both relegated for use on a motor vehicle, as well as a stylized logo spelling out the word CYBRTRK.

That badging comes complete with an alien letter structure resembling something stamped on a silvery piece of alloy recovered from a New Mexico crash site. See below:

Tesla plans to reveal its upcoming model in Los Angeles on Thursday, not far removed from that city’s auto show. It’s an uncharacteristic move for Musk, who traditionally shuns the trade show circuit. Unlike new offerings from other manufacturers, we’ve only had a couple of glimpses of the vehicle, and even these were provided by Tesla itself. Chalk that up to the fact that in Teslaland, buzz comes first, while actual vehicles trundle along much later.

Little is known about the so-called Cybertruck, minus past promises from Musk that it will boast seating for up to six occupants and a driving range of 400 to 500 miles, which outclasses other Teslas built to date. Being a larger vehicle than the company’s sedans and SUV, battery size will also outclass the truck’s stablemates.

Design, Musk promises, will be of the futuristic variety, which is only fitting for a truck with the anticipated name “Cybrtrk.” The reveal date, as Musk painfully teased, has everything to do with the setting of 1982’s Blade Runner.

Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Rosner wrote in a note Monday that investors will have their eye on design, knowing that too-futuristic styling could turn off truck buyers who are in the market for a propulsion switch. The jury’s out on just how small the overlap between “traditional truck buyer” and “Tesla truck buyer” actually is.

As for production and an availability date, that’s something that also brings up the rear at Tesla. The Model Y crossover revealed earlier this year won’t reach customers until late 2020 at the earliest, and few expect to see a Tesla-badged pickup enter driveways before the end of 2021. By that time, plenty of competition will be on hand from the likes of Rivian, Ford, and perhaps even GM.

[Image: Tesla]