MiiR, a Seattle-based beverage maker and others, is suing Tesla, saying the Elon Musk-led company copied its tumbler lid design and appearance.
In a lawsuit filed May 28 in US District Court in Seattle, MiiR alleges that the Tesla On The Road Tumbler infringes on a design patent that covers MiiR’s tumbler lid and copies the overall look of the stainless steel 360 Traveler Tumbler, including its cylindrical shape, rounded surface, and vertical logo.
MiiR accuses Austin-based Tesla of choosing to “heavily copy” its design rather than “invent and develop its own unique style,” according to the court filing, and claims Tesla knew about MiiR products because it had purchased or was considering purchasing them. (Read the full complaint below.)
MiiR, founded in 2010, has built a portfolio of design patents and trade dress rights around its drinkware products, which have won awards from the Industrial Designers Society of America and other organizations. The company also donates a percentage of the revenue from every product it sells to environmental and social causes.
The company previously operated a flagship retail location and coffee shop in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood near the Brooks Running headquarters. It now operates a manufacturing and logistics facility north of Seattle in Marysville, Wash.
While it is widely known for its line of electric cars, Tesla also sells a variety of lifestyle goods – including clothing, accessories, and beverages – through its online store and retail locations.
MiiR’s 16-ounce 360 Traveler Tumbler retails for $34 on its website and comes in eight colors. Tesla’s 14-ounce version is listed for $32 on its site and comes in three colors.
At the heart of the case is MiiR’s tumbler lid, which was granted a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office in February 2024. The company describes it as a “solid, saucer-shaped round lid” whose circumference sits flush against the sides of a cylindrical container. MiiR says its drinkware is “very different” from what came before, with a “clean line style” that makes its products instantly associated with the brand.
MiiR claims Tesla’s tumbler lid copies the patented design, arguing that the average viewer could be fooled into thinking the two lids are the same or very similar based on their shape, silhouette, and configuration.
MiiR also takes issue with how Tesla placed its logo on the tumbler. MiiR says it has used a different vertical placement of its focused brand name on its drinkware since at least 2011, and claims Tesla copied that same orientation on the On The Road Tumbler.
MiiR, represented by Seattle law firm K&L Gates, is seeking a permanent injunction to stop Tesla from selling the tumbler, as well as damages, an enumeration of Tesla’s profits from the product, and attorney’s fees. The company is also asking the court to find that Tesla’s infringement was willful, which would result in reduced damages.
The lawsuit includes a claim under Washington’s Consumer Protection Act, alleging Tesla’s conduct misled consumers into believing its tumbler was related to or endorsed by MiiR.
GeekWire has reached out to MiiR and Tesla for comment and will update this story when we hear back.
Read MiiR’s full complaint against Tesla:
MiiR Holdings LLC vs. Tesla Inc. by Kurt Schlosser
