Tesla shows thruster-equipped Roadster in Texas demo, with production planned for 2028

Mixed · 2Tesla unveiled its redesigned second-generation Roadster at a demonstration event in Texas on Thursday night, 15 October 2026. 1 2 Centre · 1In the demonstration the car used thrusters and fans to drive up an inverted ramp, spin and land, and to lift itself over a Cybercab, Cybertruck, Tesla Semi, Model Y and Model 3 while moving, according to TechCrunch. 2 Left · 2The Verge said the car drove upside down, briefly flew and reached 60mph in under a second, and Wired said it floated several feet over the Tesla Semi. 3 1

Left · 3Outlets name the venue differently: TechCrunch says an event outside Waco, The Verge says Waco, and Wired says McGregor, at SpaceX's rocket development and testing facility. 2 3 1 Mixed · 2Reports differ on the lift system: TechCrunch quotes Engineering VP Lars Moravy as saying 10 nozzles connected to 600 liters of compressed air lift and spin the car, while Wired quotes him attributing the flying to four thrusters. 2 1 Mixed · 2Musk said Tesla will build the car in 2028 and did not name a price; the car was shown going 0-60 mph in about one second. 2 1

Right · 1Reuters, carried by The Straits Times, reported that Musk gave a top speed of over 370kmh (0-96.5kmh in under one second) at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, and that the car was shown driving upside down on a ramp using a suction system. 4 Right · 1Reuters said Tesla's reservation page after the event listed a "Performance" version with a US$50,000 deposit, a "Thrust" version with "acceleration thrusters" at US$250,000, and an "invite only" single-seat "Rocket" variant with a "full flight system"; Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein expects about 2,000 Roadsters sold a year, against 1.6 million Tesla vehicles in 2025. 4 Right · 1Reuters also noted the shift in Tesla's focus toward self-driving and robotics: it stopped selling Model S and X in 2026 to make room for Optimus humanoid robots and launched the Cybercab robotaxi. 4

Mixed · 2Musk said at the event, "This is not necessarily a safety-optimized car"; TechCrunch notes he said earlier this year that safety is not the main goal and that Tesla would "aspire not to kill anyone in this car". 1 2 Mixed · 2Wired reported that the car had no human occupant during the demo, which Musk said was "to make sure we don't kill anyone", and that he said "I'm not sure it's necessarily legal in all jurisdictions"; Reuters likewise said the legality of such features on public roads was not immediately clear. 5 4 Left · 1In a separate Wired piece, aviation experts said the Federal Aviation Administration has jurisdiction over any machine that leaves the ground; a former FAA official, Michael McCormick, predicted certification could take "at least a year" and that an owner would likely need a recreational aviation license, while the FAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 5

Mixed · 2The Roadster was first shown as a surprise at the 2017 Tesla Semi reveal, with deliveries promised for 2020, and customers placed $50,000 deposits, or $250,000 for Founders Series cars. 3 2 Mixed · 2TechCrunch lists delays in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024 and a postponed 1 October event; Wired notes OpenAI CEO Sam Altman complained last year about trouble cancelling his reservation, and Musk said he was refunded within 24 hours. 2 1 Left · 1Musk has played down the car's financial importance, with The Verge quoting him calling it a "small potato situation"; The Verge adds that some analysts see the relaunch as setting the stage for a rumored Tesla-SpaceX merger, and that rivals such as Rimac, Porsche and BYD have moved ahead. 3

Left · 1Wired places the launch in a difficult market, saying US EV sales have stalled after federal supports ended, while some luxury buyers want gas-powered cars and Lamborghini shelved its EV plans. 1