The Roadster Finally Takes Off
Tesla has finally pulled the wraps off its next‑generation Tesla Roadster, and this time the company made it literally take off. During a livestreamed event, the Roadster drove up a huge curved ramp until it was upside down, then launched off the end, flipped in mid‑air, and landed safely using air thrusters mounted under the car.
“Well, it worked,” Elon Musk said after the landing. Tesla’s VP of vehicle engineering, Lars Moravy, summed it up even more bluntly: “Flying cars are real.”
Musk described the new Roadster as a collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX engineers. The car uses an “advanced ultra‑high pressure air tank” that feeds multiple thrusters:
- Altitude control thrusters to manage lift and attitude
- Main rear thrusters that let it “fly like a rocket” and even perform rolls
In a separate pre‑recorded clip, Tesla showed the Roadster hitting 60 mph in just 0.81 seconds, comfortably under the 1‑second mark.
Specs, Trims, and Odd Design Choices
On X, Tesla listed some early numbers:
- Two‑seater layout in standard form
- Around 300 miles of range
- Top speed over 230 mph
Some specs depend on whether the car is fitted with the “rocket” thruster package. In “air ready” form with the rocket system installed, the Roadster appears to seat only one person.
Tesla’s website currently shows three configurations:
- Performance – $5,000 deposit now, plus $45,000 due within 10 days
- Thrust – $250,000 deposit
- Rocket – invite‑only availability
Unlike typical Teslas, the new Roadster seems to use mechanical door latches instead of electronic ones, a notable shift as regulators in China crack down on electronic latches over safety concerns. The show car also lacked side mirrors, raising obvious questions about how Tesla plans to make it street‑legal.
Musk said the Roadster will be the only Tesla designed to be driven manually and admitted it’s not “necessarily a safety‑optimized car.” When an audience member asked if it’s legal to drive on public roads, Musk replied:
“Depends on your street. It’ll be a viable car.”
A Long Road to the New Roadster
The original Tesla Roadster, launched in 2008, was Tesla’s first production EV. It used a modified Lotus Elise chassis with an all‑electric powertrain and remained in production until 2012.
Musk first revealed the second‑generation Roadster back in November 2017 at the Tesla Semi event. At that time, Tesla claimed:
- 0–60 mph in 1.9 seconds
- Top speed above 250 mph
- 600+ miles of range
- A massive 200 kWh battery pack
Customers could place a $50,000 deposit to reserve one, or pay $250,000 upfront for a Founders Series. Musk also teased a SpaceX package with cold‑gas thrusters that might “allow a Tesla to fly.”
As delays stretched toward a decade, Musk apologized to “long‑suffering” deposit holders, explaining that Tesla had prioritized robotics and autonomy programs. He framed the Roadster as:
“Not just icing on the cake; it’s the cherry on the icing on the cake.”
According to previous reporting, Tesla ramped up the Roadster’s design cycle in the summer of 2025. With the latest demo, the company is finally showing that the wild SpaceX‑inspired vision wasn’t just talk.
Source: Gündəm · businessinsider.com
