Musk's Terafab Chip Project Enters Trademark Fight Over Its Name

The timeline in the filings shows Tesla submitted its Terafab trademark applications on May 18. Tera-print then sent a cease-and-desist letter on May 23. Six settlement meetings held between June and August did not resolve the matter, and Tera-print has said it will defend its rights.

Tesla and SpaceX point to a separate Tera-print application filed on May 22 that seeks coverage for semiconductor-related goods, and they characterize the timing as opportunistic. That is their own characterization and not a court finding. The companies also argue that the two operate in different product areas and that consumer confusion is unlikely, noting that Terafab is intended to produce chips in high volumes for AI, automotive, robotics, and eventually some space applications, while Tera-print's tool is a compact lithography device.

Musk announced Terafab in March as a chip factory for AI compute. Intel joined the project in April, though its precise role has not been detailed. Filings in May pointed to costs of up to $119 billion across all phases. In August, the companies confirmed a site in Grimes County, Texas, with a first phase valued at $16.8 billion.

During the US midterm elections, voters in multiple counties backed measures to restrict or ban data center development, with Ohio seeing some of the strongest pushback.