Tesla has revealed its new Roadster, and it can fly. The electric sports car was shown on 15 October at SpaceX’s test site in McGregor, Texas. It climbed a curved ramp while upside down and jumped over five parked Tesla cars.
The event drew a huge crowd of Tesla fans and engineers. Many had waited years for the Roadster, which was first shown as a concept back in 2017. Production was delayed again and again, and some fans had started to doubt the car would ever arrive.
The car uses ten cold-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX. They are fed by 600 litres of compressed air stored in two carbon-fibre tanks. A fan suction system under the car presses it onto the road surface. That is how it drove upside down, like Spider-Man on a ceiling.
How the stunts worked
During the show, the Roadster climbed a ramp that curved over like a roller coaster. It held steady while flipped upside down. Then it flew off the ramp, turned in the air, and landed safely. No driver was in the car during the stunts.
The car also jumped clean over five Tesla vehicles lined up in a row: the Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, Semi and Cybercab. A live run clocked 0 to 60 mph in just 0.81 seconds. Musk told the crowd that flying cars are reality.
Musk told the crowd that flying cars are reality.
Three versions and 2028 production
Tesla plans three versions of the car. The two-seat Performance model is the road car. The Thrust adds rear thrusters for sub-one-second acceleration. The single-seat Rocket is invite-only and can lift off the ground, but Tesla says it is not approved for public roads.
All versions are said to offer more than 300 miles of range and a top speed above 230 mph. Production is set to begin in 2028. Reservations are open at 50,000 US dollars for the Performance and 250,000 for the Thrust. Tesla has not confirmed final prices or battery details.
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