Elon Musk Says Tequila Line, Teslaquila, Is On Its Way

Continuing his flirtation with self-parody, Elon Musk has filed a trademark for “Teslaquila,” a luxury tequila label based on his car company, Tesla. Don’t drink and drive.

The Teslaquila trademark was the first trademark application from the company filed in 2018 — perhaps symbolic of the recently rocky road for Musk’s electric car business. In September, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges against the increasingly erratic CEO for tweeting that he was considering taking the company private at $420 a share — a statement prosecutors said was false and misleading to shareholders.

Thanks to a now notorious appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, we know exactly what Musk was smoking. Now we know — at least roughly — what he’ll be drinking.

In a settlement reached with the SEC, Musk and his company each paid $20 million in fines, and he stepped down as chairman of Tesla’s board (he remains its CEO). Whether introducing tequila to the mix at this time is a wise idea remains to be seen.

And as Twitter users familiar with the tech world satire Silicon Valley are aware, the move hews closely to a plot line in which tech billionaire idiot Russ Hannemann invests in his own tequila line. Life, as they say, imitates art.

• Elon Musk’s Tesla files for a trademark of ‘Teslaquila’ [CNBC]
• Elon Musk’s tequila is called ‘Teslaquila’, and he says it’s ‘coming soon’ [Mashable]
• Elon Musk sued by SEC over ‘funding secured’ tweet [The Verge]