Tesla showed off a next-generation Roadster lineup, including a single-seat 'Rocket' configuration fitted with perimeter thrusters that Tesla says allow it to lift off the ground and maneuver in the air. At a demonstration near Waco, Texas, the car climbed a ramp, flipped upside down, launched off and hovered over a lineup of other Tesla vehicles. Elon Musk called it a Tesla-SpaceX collaboration, while Tesla has said the Rocket is not approved for public road use and will be offered by invitation only.
Aviation experts say any version of Tesla's Roadster 2 capable of flight would need FAA certification, a process that could take at least a year, plus clearance to operate in national airspace. Pilots would likely need a recreational aviation license rather than a standard driver's license, and most states restrict takeoffs and landings to airports or designated helipads rather than public roads.
Tesla showed a new Roadster concept that can perform midair flips and controlled landings using 10 cold-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX, powered by two 600-liter compressed-air tanks. The company claims a 0-60 mph time of 0.81 seconds and says underbody suction fans can generate up to 2Gs of downforce. Tesla plans three versions priced from a $50,000 deposit to a $250,000 'Thrust' model and an invite-only 'Rocket' variant, with production targeted for 2028.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed the upcoming second-generation Roadster will be capable of performing aerial corkscrew maneuvers using cold-gas thrusters. Musk stated the vehicle is now slated for release in 2028, extending a launch timeline that has already seen repeated delays since the car was first unveiled in 2017.
Tesla showcased its next-generation Roadster with a series of stunts, including hanging upside-down on a ramp using suction technology, jumping over parked cars, and performing mid-air flips using cold-gas thrusters adapted from SpaceX. Reservations are now open: $5,000 to reserve with $45,000 due within 10 days for the base model, while a version with suction and accelerator thrusters costs $250,000 to reserve. The hovering, jump-capable version shown in the stunts will reportedly be available only by invite to select customers.
Tesla appears to be moving forward with its next-generation Roadster, a vehicle first unveiled nearly a decade ago and repeatedly delayed since. Details on pricing, specifications, and a firm launch date remain unclear based on available reporting.
Tesla showed off its redesigned Roadster at a SpaceX test site in Texas, performing stunts including sticking upside-down to a ramp via a suction system and hovering to the ground using cold-gas thrusters adapted from SpaceX technology. Elon Musk said production will begin in 2028. Reservations require a $5,000 deposit plus $45,000 within 10 days for the base car, with the thruster-equipped 'Thrust' package costing an additional $245,000.
Tesla showcased the long-delayed Roadster 2 with compressed-gas thrusters, offering it in three configurations: a road-ready Performance model, a limited-production Thrust variant, and an invite-only single-seat Rocket version. The company did not disclose pricing, and only the Performance variant is currently open for reservations, which now require a $5,000 deposit plus $45,000 due within 10 days.
Tesla showed its redesigned second-generation Roadster at an event near Waco, Texas, demonstrating SpaceX-style cold-gas thrusters that let the car flip, spin and hover over other Tesla models. CEO Elon Musk said the vehicle will enter production in 2028 and will come in three trims—Performance, Thrust and the invite-only Rocket—each offering 300 miles of range and speeds over 230 mph. Reservations are open now, with deposits of $50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust.
At a Waco, Texas event, Tesla demonstrated an upgraded Roadster prototype that drove up a vertical ramp using downforce, flipped using cold-gas thrusters supplied by SpaceX, and briefly flew over other Tesla models. Elon Musk said the car could hit 60mph in under a second and reiterated a 2028 production target, but gave no pricing or release details.
Tesla plans to reveal its next-generation Roadster on Thursday at a SpaceX test facility in McGregor, Texas, nearly ten years after it began collecting deposits for the car. The company recently reopened $50,000 reservations in the U.S., Canada and China, and executives are expected to share pricing, specifications and production targets at the event.
Tesla is set to unveil its long-delayed next-generation Roadster at an event scheduled for 8:55PM ET on October 15. The car was first previewed in 2017 with claimed specs of a 620-mile range and 0-60mph in 1.9 seconds, but its launch has been repeatedly postponed since a planned 2020 debut. CEO Elon Musk has teased the event on X, suggesting it will include a dramatic demonstration.
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