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Comment by cwkoss | Hacker News Reader

Putting "Tesla" in the name seems like you're trying to use the carmaker's brand to bolster your own brand. Kind of shady.

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Especially since Elon Musk is known for creating companies that have nothing to do with the car -- SpaceX, Neuralink. Amusingly, Elon does not tack on "Tesla" in front of his other companies / products (like Apple and their use of the "i") -- so this is actually a good indicator that Teslasuit is not connected to him.

It might indicate this well in text, but in speech it'll be "the Tesla suit", which I could reasonably believe to be one of Elon's crazy ideas.

It's a simple misconception to correct, though.

But how much of the company's limited energy are they going to waste correcting public perception when they'd be much better served by a better name anyway?

Tesla (the car company) also probably picked this name because the scientist's reputation (as an "under-apreciated genius of electricity") would bolster their electric car brand with their target audience. I don't see an issue.

But an electric carmaker using the name Tesla seems disingenuous in the first place.

What if I used "Turing" as the name of my cybersecurity/AI company?

What is your concern with the carmaker's name? Branded as an 'all electric' carmaker, so a name that evokes electricity seems fairly appropriate. Does feel a bit odd to be using a dead mans name for your company though.

Even still, two wrongs don't make a right.

I guess it is a matter of taste.

In any case, it should be impossible to trademark a name like "Tesla", because it is a common term in electrical engineering and transportation (Tesla wasn't the first company making electric cars).

> so a name that evokes electricity seems fairly appropriate

Only if the car was (somehow) powered via alternating current (bonus points if via wireless energy transfer, for obvious reasons).

I'm actually not sure what the motor tech in the Tesla vehicles are; likely some kind of 3-phase BLDC (or maybe synchronous AC).

So I guess in a way, it is "AC" at some point in the powertrain.

Or "Steve Jobs Hoverbikes" http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla_model_s2

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