Tesla has a knack for dropping surprises at just the right time, and its latest patent has sent anticipation for the new Roadster skyrocketing. A filing published this month describes a new approach to performance seating, one that replaces the normal train of metal brackets and hinges with a single sculpted shell.

The document that was first spotted by Teslarati outlines a monolithic frame that integrates the seat base, backrest, headrest, and side supports into a single composite structure. It’s a radical departure from the multi-piece setups of most sports cars. The fact that such materials as Kevlar-nylon and carbon-nylon composites are mentioned gives us an indication of Tesla’s purpose of reducing unnecessary weight while providing the seat with more strength.

Read: This Might Be The Tesla Roadster’s Biggest Update Since 2017

Conventional seats also depend on dozens of connected parts, each of which adds mass and introduces possible points of failure. By making the seat all in one, the engineers are hoping for a lighter build with fewer places for the wear and tear of time.

Design Built For Performance

The patent also points out the way Tesla wants these seats to behave. Rather than having metal gears recline the structure, they depend on what they call an integrated flexible hinge which means the material itself flexes where it is needed to do so. And that allows the frame to bend in certain areas, but be rigid in others, enabling designers to fine-tune the seat for support during hard acceleration or tight cornering.

Tesla isn’t stopping at the frame though. The patent substitutes for ordinary electric motors and rails with small actuators that can move the seat in various directions. With the six degrees of freedom, the system is capable of moving the seat with more precision than most luxury vehicles. It’s a degree of adjustability normally reserved for high-end performance interiors.

An Imminent Reveal?

This patent comes at a time when Tesla fans also are watching closely. Elon Musk recently announced that the Roadster’s design reveal is on April 1, and it’s cause for high expectations for a car that has been stuck in the development limbo for years.

The timeline has stretched far beyond the original plan. Tesla first showed a Roadster prototype back in 2017 and initially targeted a 2020 launch. That deadline came and went. Still, recent trademark filings for updated Roadster badges suggest the company may finally be preparing to reveal the production version in full.

Weight reduction has always been one of Tesla’s tenets as an engineering company, as well as the move to large castings for structural components. A more graduated and integrated seating configuration makes a lot of sense in that strategy, especially for a vehicle that is eyeing extreme acceleration figures.

Could the second-generation Tesla Roadster finally be on the verge of actually hitting the market? Well, if history is any guide, don’t hold your breath. It’s been more than eight years since it first showed up as a concept, but two recent trademark applications suggest things might actually be moving, and that the car could, just maybe, be inching closer to something.

Earlier this week, Tesla submitted two trademark filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as first spotted by Business Insider. The first features three sharp lines that outline the sleek silhouette of the two-door, all-electric supercar. It could be used in marketing or possibly even serve as the foundation for a new badge.

Read: Tesla Chief Swears We’ll See A Demo Of The Roadster This Year

The second application depicts the ‘Roadster’ name in all-caps. It uses a custom font that’s slanted and has a sci-fi vibe, perfect for a vehicle like this.

Since its initial reveal in November 2017, details on the production Roadster have been scarce. Tesla originally promised a massive 200 kWh battery pack, claiming over 620 miles (1,000 km) of range per charge. Performance targets were just as ambitious, including a 0–60 mph (96 km/h) time of 1.9 seconds and a top speed north of 250 mph (402 km/h).

The electric car industry has advanced significantly since the Roadster was first previewed, so we expect it to reach the market with different performance and range figures. A 200 kWh pack, which would be extraordinarily heavy, seems unlikely, particularly given how much more energy-dense and efficient battery packs are now.

Last October, Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen said Tesla would demo the new car before the end of 2025. That deadline came and went without anyone outside of the company seeing the new car in the flesh. He also said production would start within two years, but as with every promise made about the Roadster over the past decade, we’re taking that with a grain of salt.