Tesla has finally shown the next-generation Roadster, and the demo involved a car clinging to a ramp until it was upside down, then flipping off it on compressed-air thrusters. According to The Verge, the event in Waco, Texas, lasted under 30 minutes and played more like a stunt show than a product launch. Musk said, “We enter production in 2028,” but there was no price or release date.
What Tesla showed
The first stunt sent the Roadster up a multi-storey curved ramp. The Verge reports it used a fan-based suction system supplied by SpaceX that can generate up to 2 Gs of suction force. The car stayed attached until it was completely upside down, then used cold-gas thrusters to launch off the ramp, flip in midair and land.
The second stunt had the car fly over Tesla’s other vehicles: the Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, Semi and Cybercab.
The Verge says the Roadster carries two high-pressure air tanks with a combined 600 litres of volume, holding roughly 250kg of air, and uses 10 nozzles for its manoeuvres. Tesla says it needs no chemical propellant and can refill its own tanks. Musk was upfront about the trade-off: The Verge quotes him calling it “not necessarily a safety-optimised car.”
On the straight-line claim, Tesla says the car reached 60mph in 0.81 seconds during the event. InsideEVs notes that’s a Tesla claim, and Musk has since said he expects the production car to beat it. He also floated a top speed of around Mach 0.5, which is his target rather than a published spec.
Three trims, one that flies
According to The Verge, Tesla updated its website after the event with three versions. They scale the thruster hardware, not the badge.
| Trim | Seats | Tesla’s positioning | 0-60mph claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | 2 | Road ready; active aero and suction | Under 1.6 seconds |
| Thrust | 2 | Race ready; adds rear cold-gas thrusters; “limited release” | Under 0.9 seconds |
| Rocket | 1 | Air ready; perimeter thrusters; “invite only” | Under 0.59 seconds |
The Verge lists a top speed above 230mph for Rocket and a target range above 300 miles for Performance. TechCrunch reports Tesla’s website is taking reservations, with $50,000 to reserve a Performance and $250,000 for a Thrust. Only the Rocket flies, and Tesla says it’s not approved for public road use.
That sits awkwardly with what Musk said on stage. InsideEVs reports he told the crowd it “will be an actual car that’s on the roads” before walking it back slightly. The road-ready claim therefore applies only to the Performance trim, which Tesla describes as road ready.
Nine years in the making
The Roadster was first announced at the 2017 Semi event with a 1.9-second 0-60mph time, a top speed above 250mph, a 200kWh battery with up to 620 miles of range, and a $200,000 starting price. Musk then promised deliveries from 2020. Early buyers put down $50,000 deposits, or $250,000 for the Founders Series, and the car slipped behind mass-market models and the Cybertruck.
Musk has also downplayed its commercial weight, calling it a “small potato situation” that won’t move Tesla’s finances much. The Verge notes that rivals such as Rimac, Porsche and BYD have shipped fast electric cars in the meantime. Tesla hasn’t given a price, delivery date or regional availability, so UAE, Saudi and Egyptian buyers have nothing to act on beyond watching the reservation page.
How much does the Tesla Roadster cost?
Tesla hasn’t announced a price. TechCrunch reports its website takes reservations at $50,000 for the Performance trim and $250,000 for Thrust, while Rocket is invite-only.
Is the flying Roadster road legal?
Tesla says the Rocket trim is not approved for public road use. Tesla describes the Performance version as road-ready, but It hasn’t said how the car would meet road regulations.
When will the Roadster go on sale?
Musk says production starts in 2028. Tesla hasn’t given delivery dates, and it hasn’t announced availability for the UAE or the wider GCC.
