Tesla Roadster Returns With SpaceX Thrusters, Flies
Original: Tesla reveals SpaceX-powered Roadster that flies and falls with style
Why This Matters
A thruster-equipped halo car tests the limits of EV performance branding at scale.
Tesla unveiled the redesigned second-gen Roadster on Oct. 15, 2026, in Waco, TX. With SpaceX cold-gas thrusters, it hits 0–60 mph in under 1 second and can briefly fly. Production slated for 2028.
Elon Musk unveiled the long-delayed Tesla Roadster at an outdoor event near Waco, Texas, calling it "the best of the last of the human-driven cars." The demonstration was striking: the car drove up an inverted ramp, spun in midair, and landed on pavement—using a combination of high-powered fans and thruster systems. It also leapfrogged a line of Tesla vehicles, including a Cybertruck and Tesla Semi, while moving.
Engineering VP Lars Moravy confirmed the car uses 10 cold-gas thrusters connected to 600 liters of compressed air. Tesla noted on X that "every usable void" in the car is packed with Carbon Fiber Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs)—the same pressure vessel type tied to past SpaceX explosions.
Three trims were announced: "Performance" (road-ready, two seats, active aero, $50K reservation fee), "Thrust" (race-ready, sub-1-second 0–60, $250K reservation), and "Rocket" (one seat, 10 thrusters, invite-only). All trims offer 300 miles of range and top speeds above 230 mph. Production is targeted for 2028; no final prices were given. Musk even floated jumping the Snake River Canyon, echoing Evel Knievel's 1974 stunt. He acknowledged the car "may not move the needle massively from a revenue standpoint."