Tesla Roadster Debuts With Flight, 0-60 in 0.81s; Production 2028

Tesla Roadster Debuts With Flight, 0-60 in 0.81s; Production 2028

Tesla unveiled its next-generation Roadster at SpaceX’s rocket test site in McGregor, Texas, demonstrating two dramatic stunts and confirming the car can fly. The showcase included driving upside down and a mid-air leap over the company’s full vehicle lineup.

Elon Musk called the car the result of “a collaboration [between] the world’s best car company and the world’s best rocket company,” and told attendees they needed to be there in person “to prove that it’s not AI or SI.”

The Roadster Drove Upside Down, Then Flew

The first demonstration sent the Roadster up an inverted half-loop ramp, where it adhered upside down before exiting the structure fully flipped and parallel to the ground. Compressed-air thrusters then rolled the car upright, it hovered briefly, and landed on the tarmac in a cloud of smoke.

“Well, it worked,” Musk said. He referenced Peter Thiel’s quip about expecting flying cars but getting 140 characters, adding, “Well, not anymore.” For the demonstration, the car was driving itself, which Musk said was “to make sure we don’t kill anyone.” He added that, long term, the Roadster will be the only manually driven car Tesla makes.

A Kickflip Over Tesla’s Entire Lineup

The second stunt sent the Roadster over a row of Tesla vehicles — Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, Cybercab, and a Semi — flipping mid-air before touching down. “Tony Hawk would be proud. We call that the kickflip,” said Lars Moravy, Tesla’s VP of vehicle engineering. Musk said there will be such a car that someone can own, though he admitted he’s “not sure it’s necessarily legal in all jurisdictions.”

How It Works: Suction Fans and SpaceX Thrusters

Upside-down driving is enabled by a fan-based suction system beneath the car that can generate up to 2 Gs. Musk said it could “suck the chrome off a trailer hitch,” but emphasized the track benefits: the system lets the car corner at more than 2 Gs, compared with roughly 1.26 Gs achievable from tires alone. Tesla says the Roadster offers two aero modes: High-Downforce and Low-Drag.

Prominent community member Sawyer Merritt shared an up-close look at the active rear wing adjusting automatically for traction or speed (video).

The Roadster’s flight capability comes from a SpaceX cold-gas thruster package. Two carbon-overwrapped pressure vessels store about 250 kg of air across 600 liters, feeding 10 nozzles. The vehicle can recharge its own air tanks; no special propellant is required.

Under the floor, Tesla’s newest battery and drive unit deliver 1 MW of power. Merritt also shared a view of the hardware, which Tesla says offers “one third more power than Model S Plaid-with half the mass.”

In a live test, the Roadster achieved 0-60 mph in 0.81 seconds. Musk said the production car will do even better, as long as it doesn’t “detach the retina” of the person inside. Tesla says the car can currently exceed 230 mph, and Musk wants it to eventually approach half the speed of sound (383 mph).

A New Design for a “Pilot’s Car”

The design has evolved significantly since 2017. The production-intent car presents a low, wedge-shaped supercar silhouette closer to a Lamborghini, with a full-width rear light bar and an exposed diffuser that houses the fans and thrusters. Chief designer Franz von Holzhausen said the look draws from the SR-71 and cars that transform.

Tesla describes the Roadster as a true “pilot’s car.” It seats two, with seats molded into the chassis, a steer-by-wire yoke, and by-wire brakes and throttle. The cockpit and on-screen interface were shown, though Tesla noted that elements are likely to change before deliveries.

Trims, Price, and Production

The Roadster will be offered in Ano White, an aerospace-inspired colorway, and three trims:

• Performance: Road-ready, with active aero and the suction system; 0-60 mph in under 1.6 seconds.
• Thrust: Race-ready, adding acceleration thrusters; 0-60 mph in under 0.9 seconds.
• Rocket: Invite-only, single-seat configuration with a full flight system; 0-60 mph in under 0.59 seconds. Tesla’s Roadster page notes it won’t be available in all regions.

Final pricing has not been announced. Reservations require a refundable $50,000 deposit for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust. Production is slated to begin in 2028.

Musk also teased follow-up demonstrations, including another attempt at Evel Knievel’s Snake River Canyon jump, adding, “Where we’re going, you don’t need tires.”