Tesla Roadster: 1 MW, 0.81s 0-60, 10-Minute Charge, Four Trims

At its reveal event this week, Tesla’s new Roadster flew, flipped, and achieved 0-60 mph in 0.81 seconds. Beyond the spectacle, Tesla outlined extensive details covering its motors, battery, suspension, aerodynamics, and interior. This overview is based on information shared at the event, Tesla’s Roadster page, and a recent Top Gear video featuring Tesla’s Lars Moravy and Franz von Holzhausen.

Power, Battery, and Charging

Every version of the Roadster is rear-wheel drive, using two motors on an 800- to 1,000-volt architecture. Each motor has its own inverter, enabling torque vectoring between the rear wheels.

According to Tesla, even the standard Roadster produces 1 MW of power (about 1,340 hp), and executives have also mentioned 1,500+ hp for the final production build. Torque is roughly 960 lb-ft, with higher trims pushing past 1,032 lb-ft. That output is one-third more than the Model S Plaid, from a drive unit with half the mass. Energy comes from a battery pack of roughly 150 kWh using new 4680 cells designed for sustained power.

It’s also Tesla’s fastest-charging battery to date. The Roadster can charge from 15% to 85% in about 10 minutes, drawing close to a megawatt from Tesla’s newest Superchargers. An official range hasn’t been announced; early reports indicate more than 300 miles.

Four Versions of the Roadster

The Roadster will come in four versions:

Standard: The base Roadster with 1 MW of power and roughly 960 lb-ft of torque.
Performance (By Reservation): Adds more torque, fans for ground-effect suction, adaptive suspension, and other tweaks; road-ready with seating for two.
Thrust (Limited Release): Race-ready with seating for two, adding a 200-liter cold-gas thruster system with four nozzles in the rear.
Rocket (Invite Only): Adds six more thruster nozzles for the front and sides, and seats only one (the passenger’s side is occupied by an additional 400-liter gas tank for a total capacity of 600 liters). It can hover, and as Tesla puts it, “Yes, it can fly.” Road legality is questionable and may vary by jurisdiction.

On the Rocket trim, the extra nozzles include one at each corner to push the car up and two in the front for yaw control; each burst lasts about five seconds. Tesla notes the Rocket won’t be available in all regions.

The Roadster reservation page currently lists Performance, Thrust, and Rocket. Performance reservations require a refundable $50,000 deposit, while Thrust requires $250,000. Final pricing hasn’t been announced, and production starts in 2028.

Acceleration and Top Speed

In a live test with thrusters engaged, the Roadster recorded 0-60 mph in 0.81 seconds, and Tesla says production cars will be quicker. By trim, the sprint times are:

Performance: Under 1.6 seconds
Thrust: 0.85 seconds, according to Lars Moravy and Franz von Holzhausen (Tesla lists it as under 0.9 seconds)
Rocket: Under 0.59 seconds

Tesla hasn’t shared a 0-60 mph time for the standard Roadster yet.

Top speed is still being finalized. On stage, Tesla said the Roadster can exceed 230 mph, while current spec details list 214 mph for now, with a 330 mph version planned. Regarding the Rocket, Top Gear’s Tom Ford said, “even Tesla isn’t really sure how fast it can be.” Elon Musk has said he wants it to eventually approach half the speed of sound (Mach 0.5, or 383 mph).

Suction Fans, Active Aero, and Suspension

The Roadster’s multi-mode fan system, available from the Performance trim up, works with a ground-sealing system to pull air from under the car. Tesla says it creates enough suction to hold the car upside down, even when stationary, generating downforce at zero speed.

Active aero covers almost every surface: movable skirts along the front, sides, and rear; panels on the fenders that open; and a hood that can open for additional airflow. The active rear wing adjusts automatically and can also help slow the car down, similar to an aircraft’s flaps.

Track Mode lowers the ride height via adaptive suspension and switches the car between High-Downforce and Low-Drag settings. Up front, there is a double-wishbone suspension, and carbon-ceramic brakes handle stopping.

Design, Doors, and Interior

Ano White paint takes inspiration from aerospace coatings that protect against UV, extreme cold, and corrosion. The slightly gold-tinted windows mimic the copper coating on spacesuit visors, with titanium accents. The exterior features hidden pop-down headlights (no word yet on whether they’ll include matrix LEDs), a full-length taillight, and lightweight thin-spoke wheels.

The Roadster uses manual scissor-style doors that lift upward.

Inside, the “Supersonic” interior pairs pure white upholstery with gray microsuede bolsters. The steer-by-wire yoke works alongside brake-by-wire and throttle-by-wire. A center touchscreen is joined by two smaller forward displays, plus a small red display near the windshield that shows speed and lap times; the early UI uses red text throughout.

To save weight, the seats are molded into the chassis. Only the seatbacks adjust, while the pedals move toward the driver. The seats are heated (but likely not cooled), and there is a wireless phone charger. Tesla says magnesium, titanium, and carbon fiber help reduce mass throughout.

Will the Roadster Get FSD?

Tesla hasn’t confirmed FSD support. The Roadster has a front bumper camera, and it technically drove itself during the demos at Thursday’s event. Still, Tesla calls it “the last great driver’s car,” and Musk has said it will eventually be the only manually driven vehicle Tesla makes.

With production set for 2028, some of these specifications—especially top speed and pricing—will likely change before the first deliveries.