Tesla’s latest launch has nothing to do with batteries, motors, or self driving software. Instead, the electric vehicle maker has entered the world of lifestyle sports gear with a $350 pickleball paddle, a move that feels surprising yet oddly on brand for a company led by Elon Musk.
As reported by Business Insider, Tesla quietly released the limited edition paddle in partnership with Selkirk, a well known manufacturer of high end pickleball equipment. Made from carbon fiber with a foam core, the paddle was marketed as being “optimized for high performance play” and positioned as a serious piece of sports engineering rather than a novelty item.
Selkirk’s co owner and head of research and development, Tom Barnes, said the collaboration went far beyond slapping a logo on an existing product. According to Barnes, Tesla’s design group and Selkirk’s engineers spent more than a year exchanging data, refining geometry, and stress testing prototypes. The idea reportedly took shape after conversations between Selkirk leadership and Tesla engineers at the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships.
The partnership deepened when Selkirk executives visited Tesla’s Fremont factory, where they met Javier Verdura, Tesla’s global director of product design and an avid pickleball player. From there, the paddle went through multiple iterations, with prototypes even undergoing aerodynamic testing at Tesla before the final design was approved.
Despite the unconventional nature of the product, demand was anything but slow. Selkirk confirmed that the entire limited run sold out on Tesla’s website in under three hours. It remains unclear whether the paddle will be restocked.
The launch fits neatly into Tesla’s growing lineup of branded lifestyle products, which already includes apparel, drinkware, backpacks, and even salt and pepper shakers. Musk has long shown an appetite for collectible merchandise, most famously with The Boring Company’s flamethrower, which became a viral sensation in 2018.
Financially, these products are unlikely to move the needle for Tesla. Lifestyle merchandise is not broken out in the company’s earnings reports, and there is no indication that it materially affects revenue. Still, the paddle arrives at a moment when pickleball is exploding in popularity. Participation has surged more than 45 percent since 2023, transforming the sport into a social and networking staple among Silicon Valley professionals.
Reactions online were mixed. Some Tesla fans praised the paddle as a clever holiday gift, while others questioned the price and Selkirk’s decision to collaborate with an automaker instead of a professional athlete. Love it or mock it, Tesla’s pickleball paddle sold out fast, proving once again that almost anything with the Tesla name can spark attention.