Lucid Motors is facing a challenge to its trademark for the name of its Gravity SUV, just months before the company is set to begin production.
EV charging company Gravity Inc., backed by Google Ventures, filed a “petition for cancellation” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) in December. Gravity Inc. claims that Lucid’s use of the Gravity name could confuse consumers, as Gravity Inc. uses it for EV charging and previously operated a fleet of EV taxis.
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This challenge adds pressure on Lucid, which is already struggling to attract customers. The company reported a $2.8 billion loss in 2023 and now expects to produce only around 9,000 cars in 2024, far below its initial projection.
Lucid has disputed the petition but warned investors in its annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission about the potential impact on its trademark. A spokesperson for Lucid declined to comment further.
Gravity Inc.’s CEO, Moshe Cohen, expressed confidence in the petition, stating, “We feel very, very confident about it,” in an interview with TechCrunch.
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Gravity Inc. has focused on designing and building advanced fast-charging stations for electric vehicles and recently launched its first flagship location in New York City. It also operated a fleet of electric taxis in the city as part of a pilot program with the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) using vehicles like the Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y SUV.
While the TLC pilot program ended in 2023, one of Gravity’s taxis remains active in the TLC system, according to a TLC spokesperson.
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In response to the petition, Lucid argued that Gravity does not currently operate an EV fleet and that consumers would not be confused by the two different uses of the Gravity name. Lucid also filed a counterclaim seeking to force Gravity Inc. to abandon its trademark, alleging that Gravity Inc. abandoned the fleet business.