Tesla Demonstrates Flying Roadster, Targets 2028 Production

Tesla’s redesigned Roadster used fans and compressed-gas thrusters to drive up a ramp and briefly fly, though reports differ on some specifications and reservation options.

Tesla unveiled its next-generation Roadster at a demonstration in Texas, where the electric sports car clung to a steep ramp, flipped through the air and used thrusters to descend. CEO Elon Musk said production is planned for 2028, extending a wait that began when Tesla first presented the vehicle in 2017.

Table of Contents
  1. What Tesla demonstrated
  2. How the Roadster did it
  3. Reservations and the production plan
  4. Sources

What Tesla demonstrated

At SpaceX’s test facility in McGregor, Texas, according to Engadget and Wired, the Roadster drove up a C-shaped ramp and held an upside-down position before jumping off and hovering back to the ground. The Verge described the event as taking place in Waco, while TechCrunch located it outside Waco.

The car also cleared several vehicles in Tesla’s lineup, including the Cybertruck and Semi, while airborne, according to The Verge and TechCrunch. Engadget reported a further demonstration in which it jumped from a stationary position, flipped and hovered down. An Optimus robot appeared in the driver’s seat during the presentation, but Engadget said it was there for show and the stunts were programmed into the car.

How the Roadster did it

Engadget said a fan and ground-sealing system creates suction beneath the car, allowing it to remain attached to the ramp even while stationary. Compressed-gas thrusters provided the control and lift for its airborne maneuvers, using technology associated with SpaceX.

Reports differ on the thruster count: Wired said Tesla vehicle engineering head Lars Moravy described four thrusters enabling flight, while TechCrunch reported his description of a system using 10 thrusters and 600 liters of compressed air. The Verge also reported 10 nozzles and said the air tanks can be recharged.

The Verge said Tesla claimed a 0-to-60-mph run of 0.81 seconds at the event. TechCrunch reported a one-second demonstration, while Wired said executives described acceleration to 60 mph in one second. Those figures are demonstration claims, not independently established production-car results.

Reservations and the production plan

TechCrunch described three proposed versions: a two-seat Performance model, a two-seat Thrust model with rear cold-gas thrusters, and an invite-only, single-seat Rocket model equipped for flight. Engadget likewise said the flying version would be available only to selected customers.

Engadget and Wired reported that reserving the base car requires $5,000 initially and another $45,000 within 10 days. TechCrunch listed a $250,000 reservation amount for Thrust; Engadget described that amount as a $5,000 reservation followed by an additional $245,000. The outlets differ on whether Thrust can currently be reserved: Wired said reservations were open only for Performance, while Engadget and TechCrunch described Thrust reservation terms.

The production date remains a target. As Wired and TechCrunch noted, Tesla initially expected the Roadster announced in 2017 to reach customers in 2020. Tesla did not announce a vehicle price at this event, according to both outlets.

Sources

This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.