Quick answer: Tesla revealed the redesigned, next-generation Roadster on October 15, 2026, at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas. It comes in three configurations (Performance, Thrust, and Rocket), uses SpaceX-derived cold-gas thrusters and a fan-powered suction system, and Tesla claims 0–60 mph in under 0.59 seconds for the top Rocket version. Elon Musk says production starts in 2028. No price has been announced, but reservations are open: $50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust.
The Roadster spent nine years as Tesla’s most famous unfulfilled promise. The car that finally appeared is not the one shown in 2017. It has a new wedge-shaped body, a two-seat cockpit with seats molded into the chassis, and a flight-capable top trim that Tesla itself says is not approved for public roads.
This guide covers what Tesla has officially confirmed, what happened during the live demonstration, and what independent outlets reported. Where those three disagree, we say so.
How to read the numbers in this article: “Tesla claims” means a figure from Tesla’s website, reservation page, or official posts. “Demonstrated” means a result shown at the event and timed by Tesla, not certified by a third party. “Reported” means a detail from press coverage that Tesla has not published itself.
Table of Contents
What Is the Tesla Roadster?
The Tesla Roadster is Tesla’s upcoming electric sports car and the successor to the original Roadster, the company’s first production car. That first model was built from 2008 to 2012 on a Lotus Elise chassis, and about 2,450 were sold in more than 30 countries.
The second-generation car was first shown as a surprise “one more thing” at the Tesla Semi event in November 2017. After years of delays, Tesla showed a completely redesigned version on Thursday, October 15, 2026. The livestream began at 7:55 p.m. Central Time from SpaceX’s rocket test facility in McGregor, near Waco, Texas. According to CARmag, it is a ground-up redesign that carries over no components from the 2017 concept.
A halo car, not a volume seller
The new Roadster is a low-volume, high-price performance flagship. CNBC described it as a high-end, low-volume model, and Musk himself called it a “small potato situation” that will not “move the needle in a major way financially,” according to The Verge. Its job is to showcase engineering, not to rival the Model 3 or Model Y for sales.
The timing stands out. Tesla is showing off a six-figure EV just as Detroit’s Big Three are delaying or cancelling electric models after the federal $7,500 EV tax credit expired. Our roundup of what is happening in the Detroit auto industry explains that shift and what it means for buyers.
A Tesla–SpaceX collaboration
Musk framed the car as “a collaboration [between] the world’s best car company and the world’s best rocket company” (Not a Tesla App). Tesla’s own Roadster page makes the link explicit: “We already put Roadster in a rocket. Now we put a rocket in Roadster.” That line refers to February 6, 2018, when Musk’s personal original Roadster flew as the dummy payload on SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy launch.
Tesla’s official tagline for the car is “The last best driver’s car,” the title of its launch film. Musk also described it as “the best of the last of the human-driven cars” and said it will be the only manually driven car Tesla makes over the long term. Tesla’s website calls it “A True Pilot’s Car.”
Tesla Roadster Release Date and Production Timeline
Musk said at the reveal that the next-generation Roadster will enter production in 2028. Tesla did not give a customer delivery date or a final price, and The Verge noted the sub-30-minute event made “no mention of price, release date, or other such mundane details.”
Treat 2028 as a production target, not a delivery promise. Tesla has moved the Roadster’s date at least eight times since 2017, and Musk had already pointed to “2027 or 2028” at Tesla’s November 2025 shareholder meeting (Electrek). No production location has been confirmed at the reveal, though a May 2026 report said the car would be built in Texas.
| Date | Milestone |
| 2008–2012 | Original Roadster produced in limited numbers on a Lotus Elise chassis (about 2,450 sold) |
| Nov 16, 2017 | Next-gen prototype revealed at the Tesla Semi event; reservations open; deliveries promised for 2020 |
| Feb 6, 2018 | Musk’s original Roadster launched on SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy flight |
| Jun 9, 2018 | Musk tweets about a “SpaceX option package” with roughly 10 small rocket thrusters |
| 2020 | Original delivery target missed |
| 2021–2024 | Repeated postponements; Musk cites parts constraints in 2022 and later promises a 2025 launch |
| Feb 2024 | Musk says the design goal is now 0–60 mph in under one second |
| Nov 2025 | Musk says production will begin in “2027 or 2028” and floats an April 1, 2026 demo |
| Aug 2026 | A planned demo is scrapped before invitations go out |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Tesla posts “Go for launch” teaser; Musk confirms “New Tesla Roadster Unveil 10.01” |
| ~Sep 18, 2026 | Reservations reopen at $50,000 |
| Sep 28, 2026 | Tesla moves the event from Oct 1 to Oct 15, citing “severe conditions predicted” |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Redesigned Roadster revealed at SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas, test site |
| 2028 | Current stated production target |
Sources: Wikipedia, Reuters via Khaleej Times, Kelley Blue Book, Autoblog, TeslaNorth.
Tesla Roadster Price and Reservations
Tesla has not announced a retail price for any Roadster configuration. The deposits below hold a place in line; they are not the price of the car.
The often-quoted $200,000 figure is the starting price Tesla attached to the 2017 prototype. It is a historical number and should not be read as current pricing. CARmag reports only that pricing “will vary depending on selected augment packages.”
Reservation deposits (checked on Tesla’s reservation page, October 17, 2026)
| Configuration | Due at booking | Due within 10 days | Total deposit | Notes |
| Performance | $5,000 (fully refundable) | $45,000 | $50,000 | Standard reservation |
| Thrust | $5,000 (fully refundable) | $245,000 | $250,000 | “Limited”; one order per customer |
| Rocket | — | — | Not offered publicly | “Invite only” |
Tesla’s reservation page states that a reservation is not final until payment is received and may be cancelled if the balance is not paid within 10 days. It also says “refunds for modifications will not be issued.” For the Thrust version, Tesla adds that it may cancel duplicate orders and that “availability is subject to each region’s legal requirements and applicable laws.”
Tesla reopened Roadster reservations around September 18, 2026, ahead of the originally planned October 1 event (TeslaNorth). According to CNBC, as summarized by Yahoo Finance, buyers in the U.S., Canada, and China are eligible.
How this compares with 2017
The 2017 reservation program used the same $50,000 deposit for the standard car. The first 1,000 cars were reserved as the Founders Series, which required the full $250,000 up front. Tesla has not said how it will treat those original reservation holders now that the car has changed so much, a point Jalopnik raised. CARmag reports that previous reservation holders secure priority build slots, but Tesla has not published that policy itself.
Tesla Roadster Specs and Performance
Tesla offers the Roadster in one base configuration, Performance, plus two upgrades it calls “augments”: Thrust and Rocket. Each step adds more SpaceX-derived hardware. The figures below are Tesla’s claims as reported after the event; none have been independently tested.
| Configuration | Tesla’s label | Seats | 0–60 mph claim | Key hardware | Availability |
| Performance | Road ready | 2 | Under 1.6 seconds | Active aerodynamics and multi-mode suction system | Standard reservation |
| Thrust | Race ready | 2 | Under 0.9 seconds | Suction system plus rear-mounted cold-gas “acceleration thrusters” | Limited release |
| Rocket | Air ready | 1 | Under 0.59 seconds | Suction system plus perimeter-mounted cold-gas thrusters (“full flight system”) | Invite-only; not approved for public roads; not available in all regions |
Sources: Tesla’s Roadster and reservation pages; trim-level 0–60 figures as listed by Tesla after the event and reported by The Verge and Not a Tesla App. When we checked on October 17, Tesla’s own page described the Thrust version simply as reaching 0–60 “in under 1 second.”
Headline numbers
- Range: more than 300 miles (about 480 km) per charge, Tesla’s target for the announced versions. That is less than half the 620 miles promised in 2017.
- Top speed: more than 230 mph (about 370 km/h). The Verge ties this figure to the Rocket version; other outlets, including Yahoo Autos, reported it for all trims.
- Demonstrated 0–60 mph: 0.81 seconds during the event, on Tesla’s own timer, with thruster assistance.
- Cornering: above 2 G of lateral grip, according to Tesla, compared with about 1.26 G from the tires alone.
- Aero modes: High Downforce and Low Drag. Tesla claims the best passive downforce of any road car, “approaching F1 levels.”
- Power: not officially published. Not a Tesla App reports a new battery and drive unit producing about 1 MW, which Tesla describes as one-third more power than the Model S Plaid at half the mass. Journalists at the event said a display in the Rocket car showed 1,500 hp (1,103 kW), per CARmag.
- Battery size: not disclosed. The 200 kWh figure that still circulates online belongs to the 2017 prototype.
The 0.81-second run, in context
Tesla posted a short clip, “The 0-60,” showing the 0.81-second run, and Musk said the production car should beat it. Treat it as a demonstration, not a certified spec. The run relied on thrusters rather than tire grip alone, and Jalopnik noted that the live run had no visible on-screen timer. For comparison, NBC News points out that 0.81 seconds is more than a second quicker than Tesla’s previous fastest car, the now-discontinued Model S Plaid.
Musk’s speed ambitions
Musk wants the production car to go further. “You’ve got to crack halfway to the speed of sound, I think,” he said. “Mach 0.5. Maybe a little higher.” That works out to roughly 383 mph, more than 150 mph above the announced top speed. He also acknowledged the need to avoid subjecting occupants to extreme acceleration forces.
Tesla Roadster SpaceX Package Explained
The “SpaceX package” is a cold-gas thruster system. It shoots out stored compressed air through nozzles to push the car, rather than burning rocket fuel. Musk first floated the idea in a June 2018 tweet, describing roughly 10 small rocket thrusters arranged around the car. The production version keeps that count but uses air, which Tesla says the car can refill itself.
What stores the air
- Two carbon-fiber-overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs). These are the same type of tank SpaceX uses on its rockets. Tesla says “every usable void in the car is packed with” them.
- About 600 liters of combined volume, a figure Tesla vehicle engineering VP Lars Moravy gave on stage.
- About 250 kg of stored air, according to The Verge.
- No special propellant. Tesla says the Roadster recharges its own air supply but has not said how. Some outlets report an onboard compressor driven by the main battery; Tesla has not confirmed this (Dealroom analysis).
Tesla has not published the tank pressure, how long the thrusters can fire, or how long a refill takes.
Where the 10 nozzles sit
Jalopnik described the layout as follows. Tesla has not published a diagram.
| Position | Count | Direction of push | Fitted to |
| Rear | 4 | Forward (and up) | Thrust and Rocket |
| One at each corner | 4 | Upward | Rocket only |
| One on each front fender | 2 | Sideways | Rocket only |
Jalopnik reports Tesla claimed more than 80 kilonewtons of rear thrust, about 4,500 lb per rear thruster. Tesla’s site says the thrusters use all-electric actuators that make “micro adjustments within a fraction of a second,” which stabilizes the car in the air.
The suction system
All three versions get what Tesla calls a “multi-mode fan and ground sealing system.” Fans pull air out from under the car to create downforce, even at zero speed. Tesla says the effect is strong enough to hold the car upside down while stationary. The Verge reports up to 2 G of suction force. Musk summed it up at the event: “This car really sucks.”
The fans and thrusters sit around the rear diffuser. Track Mode lowers the car and changes the suspension, and active wings adjust for traction.
What each version gets
- Performance: suction system and active aero, no thrusters. Jalopnik suggests the space saved could become cargo room.
- Thrust: adds the rear thrusters, used for straight-line acceleration.
- Rocket: adds the perimeter thrusters for upward, sideways, and rotational movement. Tesla’s page puts it plainly: “So yes, it can fly.”
Important caveat
The flying demonstration does not make the Roadster a consumer flying car. The flight-capable Rocket version is invite-only, not available in all regions, and “not approved for public road use,” in Tesla’s own words. The demo cars were also prototypes; Jalopnik and others suggested they were likely shells carrying only the hardware needed for the stunts.
Interior, Design, and Colors
The new Roadster drops the smooth, S3XY-style shape of the 2017 prototype for a low, angular wedge. Tesla says the design draws on the SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft and the F-35 fighter jet. Designer Franz von Holzhausen also cited transforming cars, and commentators compared it to a Lamborghini and to the Lotus Esprit submarine car from the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. Musk owns that Lotus, and it was on display at the event.
Exterior
- Hidden aero: concealed headlights, a full-length taillight bar, and flush-mounted body panels.
- Active aero: a retractable rear wing that deploys for traction and stows for speed. Not a Tesla. App reports it uses actuator technology from Tesla’s Optimus robot.
- Rear diffuser: exposed, and home to the suction fans and thrusters.
- Wheels: lightweight, with thin spokes.
- Glass: “Gold Glazed” tinted windows that mimic the copper coating on spacesuit visors, plus titanium accents.
- Roof: CARmag reports the roof is removable, although Tesla’s press images do not show it.
- Chassis: a pushrod-style suspension and extensive use of magnesium, titanium, and carbon fiber, according to Tesla and CARmag. Jalopnik notes the front suspension now sits inboard.
Paint: Ano White
The only color shown was Ano White. Tesla says it borrows from aerospace coatings that provide UV and cryogenic protection, electrostatic dissipation, and corrosion resistance. Tesla showed a single car, so do not assume Ano White is the only color, or that other colors will be offered, until the configurator confirms the range.
Interior
Tesla calls the cabin “Supersonic.” Its main features:
- Ultrawhite interior theme with gray microsuede detailing and microsuede seat bolsters for grip.
- Two seats molded into the chassis in Performance and Thrust, similar in concept to the Ford GT. The Rocket version has one seat. The 2017 car was a 2+2.
- Fixed seat position. Tesla removed adjustable seat mechanisms; coverage of the reveal says the steering column and pedals adjust instead. Tesla says manual controls and the fixed seat reduce mass.
- Steer-by-wire yoke with by-wire braking and throttle.
- Screens: a center touchscreen supported by two smaller forward displays for critical driving data.
Jalopnik cautions that the interior and software shown may change before deliveries.
How the New Roadster Compares With the Original
The two Roadsters share a name and a role as Tesla’s statement car, but little else. The original proved an electric car could be fast and desirable; the new one is an experimental hypercar built around aerospace hardware.
| Feature | Original Roadster | 2017 prototype (as promised) | Next-gen Roadster (2026 reveal) |
| Production | 2008–2012, about 2,450 sold | Never built for customers | Planned for 2028 |
| Basis | Lotus Elise chassis | Tesla design, S3XY styling | Ground-up redesign with SpaceX-derived hardware |
| Seats | 2 | 2+2 | 2 (Rocket: 1) |
| 0–60 mph | 3.9 s (3.7 s Sport) | 1.9 s | Under 1.6 s to under 0.59 s, by version (Tesla claims) |
| Range | 244 miles (EPA) | 620 miles | More than 300 miles (target) |
| Top speed | — | Over 250 mph | Over 230 mph |
| Battery | 53 kWh | 200 kWh (claimed) | Not disclosed |
| Price | About $98,950 to $128,500 | From $200,000; Founders Series $250,000 | Not announced |
| Signature feature | One of the first highway-capable production EVs | Extreme range and acceleration claims | Cold-gas thrusters and fan suction |
| Status | Discontinued | Replaced by the 2026 design | Revealed; production target 2028 |
Sources: Wikipedia (first generation), Wikipedia (second generation), The Verge, Kelley Blue Book.
The 2017 numbers in the middle column were prototype claims and should not be quoted as current specifications.
Is the Tesla Roadster Street Legal?
Partly. Tesla describes the base car as road-ready, but the flight-capable Rocket version is officially “not approved for public road use.”
| Configuration | Road status |
| Performance | Described by Tesla as “road ready” |
| Thrust | “Race ready”; limited release, and Tesla says availability depends on “each region’s legal requirements and applicable laws” |
| Rocket | “Air ready”; invite only, not available in all regions, not approved for public roads |
Musk’s own comments added confusion. On stage he said, “This will be an actual car that’s on the roads,” and when asked whether the car is street legal, he replied, “Yeah, depends on your street” (per Business Insider, cited by The Next Web). He also acknowledged it may not be legal everywhere. Tesla’s written materials are the reliable guide here.
The airborne maneuvers shown at the event are not something buyers should expect to perform legally on public roads. As The Verge observed, a road car that leaves the ground would face scrutiny from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration. Before the event, Electrek, citing The Information, reported that Tesla had discussed selling the most extreme version to a small group of buyers through a Ferrari-style track program.
Safety framing matters too. Musk said the car is “not necessarily a safety-optimized car,” that “safety is not the main goal,” and that Tesla would “aspire not to kill anyone in this car.” The demo cars ran with no one inside, and Musk said that was “to make sure we don’t kill anyone.”
Why the Tesla Roadster Was Delayed
The Roadster slipped for nearly nine years because Tesla kept prioritizing mass-market vehicles, kept raising the car’s ambitions, and eventually started over with a new design.
Volume cars came first
Tesla revealed the prototype in November 2017 and promised 2020 deliveries. Production deadlines then slipped as Tesla focused on the Model Y and wrestled with the complex Cybertruck program, according to The Verge. In 2022, Musk blamed parts constraints (Kelley Blue Book).
The goalposts kept moving
Each time the Roadster resurfaced, its promised capabilities grew. The 2018 “SpaceX package” idea of about 10 small rocket thrusters became the defining feature. By February 2024, Musk said the target was 0–60 mph in under one second.
A ground-up redesign
According to The Information, as reported by Reuters, Tesla dropped an approach based on Model S Plaid components and turned the Roadster into an all-new carbon-fiber hypercar. That reset explains why the 2026 car shares nothing with the 2017 prototype.
Missed reveal dates
The reveal itself kept moving:
- Executives promised “the most epic demo ever” by the end of 2025. It did not happen.
- Musk floated April 1, 2026, joking that the date gave him “deniability because I can say I was just kidding.”
- An August 2026 demo was scrapped before invitations went out.
- Tesla set October 1, 2026, with a “Go for launch” teaser.
- On September 28, Tesla moved the event to October 15.
Tesla explained the last delay on X: it had been “tracking the weather closely with local meteorologists,” faced “severe conditions predicted,” and noted the event “can only be held outdoors,” calling it a “difficult decision to reschedule.” Drive Tesla Canada later reported that high winds were the cause. Autoblog pointed out that the reason was a forecast, not a confirmed storm, and questioned both the physics and the legal framework of a car that lifts off the pavement.
Why reveal it now?
Musk has framed the Roadster as a joint Tesla–SpaceX engineering project, even questioning whether it is “even a car anymore.” Some analysts, quoted by The Verge and Electrek, see the reveal as groundwork for a rumored Tesla–SpaceX merger. SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell said a merger “might make Elon’s life a little easier.” Business Insider argued the event also served as a recruiting pitch. Investors were unmoved: on the morning after the reveal, Tesla shares were up 0.65% and SpaceX shares down 1.11%, per CNBC’s market coverage.
Tesla Roadster vs Electric Rivals
While the Roadster was delayed, other carmakers shipped the electric hypercars Tesla had only rendered. As The Verge put it, the Roadster is “playing catch-up to an industry that spent nine years building what Tesla merely rendered. But then again, none of those cars flew.” The thruster system is the Roadster’s one feature no rival offers.
| Car | Status | 0–60 mph | Top speed | Notable credential |
| Tesla Roadster (Rocket) | Production target 2028 | Under 0.59 s (claim); 0.81 s demonstrated | Over 230 mph (claim) | Cold-gas thrusters and fan suction |
| Rimac Nevera | On sale, limited to 150 units | 1.74 s | 258 mph (412 km/h) | 1,914 hp; 120 kWh battery; 489 km WLTP range |
| Porsche Taycan Turbo GT (Weissach Package) | On sale | 2.1 s | — | Up to 1,092 hp; took Nürburgring and Laguna Seca EV lap records from the Model S Plaid in 2024 |
| BYD Yangwang U9 Track Edition | Record car | — | 472.41 km/h (about 293 mph) | Claimed EV top-speed record, set August 8, 2025, at Papenburg, Germany |
The Nevera R raises Rimac’s figures further, with 2,107 hp and a 430 km/h top speed, according to Rimac. The Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package launched at about $230,000 in 2024. The Roadster’s own price is unknown, so a value comparison is not yet possible. Rivals’ figures come from the manufacturers or their record announcements, and the Roadster’s from Tesla’s claims; none were measured side by side.
None of these rivals is built by an American automaker, let alone one from the Motor City that created the U.S. car industry. Apart from Tesla, the race for the quickest electric car is being led from Croatia, Germany and China.
Watch the Tesla Roadster Reveal: Stunts, Videos and Official Channels
The event ran less than 30 minutes and played more like a stunt show than a product launch. Musk told the crowd they needed to be there in person “to prove that it’s not AI or SI,” and admitted beforehand it would be the “most exciting, whether it works or not, demo ever of any product.” No one was inside the cars during the stunts.
The three demonstrations
- The ramp. The Roadster climbed a multi-story ramp shaped like half a roller-coaster loop, held on by suction as it turned upside down. At the top it left the ramp inverted, used its thrusters to roll upright, hovered briefly, and landed in a cloud of condensation. “Well, it worked!” Musk said.
- The kickflip. The car accelerated toward a Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, Cybercab, and Semi, then jumped over all five. Tesla says it rose 27 feet while performing a barrel roll before setting down gently (NBC News). “Tony Hawk would be proud. We call that the kickflip,” Moravy said.
- The launch. A straight-line run recorded 0–60 mph in 0.81 seconds on Tesla’s timer.
Musk then teased what comes next: another attempt at Evel Knievel’s Snake River Canyon jump, and the line “Where we’re going, you don’t need tires.”
Reaction was mixed. YouTuber Marques Brownlee, who has said he canceled his original reservation, responded to the specs and the 2028 timeline by asking, “This is a prank, right?” (Yahoo Autos).
Official videos on Tesla’s YouTube channel
| Video | Length | What it shows |
| Roadster | The Last Best Driver’s Car | 1:27 | Official launch film and design overview |
| The Ramp | Roadster | 0:46 | Upside-down suction climb and thruster-assisted landing |
| The Kickflip | Roadster | 0:44 | The jump and barrel roll over Tesla’s lineup |
| The 0-60 | Roadster | 0:01 | The 0.81-second acceleration run |
At the time of writing, Tesla’s YouTube channel carries these clips but no full-event replay. Tesla’s livestream announcement went out on October 13, 2026.
Official social accounts to follow
- Tesla on X: event announcements, the rescheduling notice, spec posts and clips.
- Tesla on YouTube: the reveal films above.
- Tesla on Instagram: reveal imagery and short clips.
- Tesla on Facebook: announcements and video reposts.
- SpaceX on X: context on the SpaceX collaboration. For vehicle specs, Tesla remains the primary source.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Tesla Roadster be released? Musk says production will start in 2028. Tesla has not announced a customer delivery date, and the Roadster has missed every previous target since 2020.
How fast is the Tesla Roadster? Tesla claims 0–60 mph in under 1.6 seconds for Performance, under 0.9 seconds for Thrust and under 0.59 seconds for Rocket. A thruster-assisted run at the reveal recorded 0.81 seconds on Tesla’s timer. Top speed is claimed at more than 230 mph.
What is the Tesla Roadster’s range? More than 300 miles per charge, according to Tesla. The 620-mile figure from 2017 no longer applies.
How much will the Tesla Roadster cost? Tesla has not announced a price. The 2017 prototype carried a $200,000 starting price, but that is not a confirmed current price. Current reservation deposits are $50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust.
Can the Tesla Roadster fly? The Rocket version demonstrated brief, low-altitude, thruster-assisted jumps and flips with no one aboard. It is invite-only and not approved for public roads, so it is not a practical consumer flying car.
What is the Tesla Roadster SpaceX package? It is a SpaceX-derived cold-gas thruster system that vents compressed air from carbon-fiber tanks through up to 10 nozzles. It adds acceleration in the Thrust version and, in the Rocket version, upward, sideways, and rotational movement.
Is the Tesla Roadster street legal? Tesla calls the Performance version road-ready. Thrust availability depends on regional law, and the Rocket version is not approved for public roads.
Is the Tesla Roadster available to order? You can reserve one. Performance requires $5,000 at booking and $45,000 within 10 days; Thrust requires $5,000 and then $245,000, limited to one per customer. CNBC reports reservations are open in the U.S., Canada, and China. Check Tesla’s Roadster page for the latest terms in your region.
Who designed the new Roadster? Tesla’s design team, led by chief designer Franz von Holzhausen, with SpaceX contributing the thruster hardware. Lars Moravy, Tesla’s VP of vehicle engineering, presented the technical details.
The Bottom Line
The Tesla Roadster finally exists as more than a render, and its live demonstration was genuinely unlike anything another carmaker has attempted. What buyers can rely on today is narrower: a $50,000 or $250,000 deposit, a 2028 production target, and Tesla’s performance claims. Price, battery size, power output and delivery dates are still unknown, and the most spectacular version will not be road-legal.
If you are considering a reservation, read Tesla’s reservation terms closely, especially the refund conditions, and recheck the official Roadster page before committing, since specs and availability may change as production approaches.
For more car news, including how EVs, tariffs and automation are changing Michigan’s carmakers, visit our Automotive section.
Sources
Official:
- Tesla – Roadster and Roadster reservation page (checked October 17, 2026)
- Tesla on YouTube, X, Instagram, Facebook; SpaceX on X
- Rimac Nevera
Reporting:
- The Verge – The Tesla Roadster flew, drove upside down, and hit 60mph in under a second
- CNBC – Tesla Roadster reveal: What to know about the delayed EV, as summarized in Yahoo Finance
- Reuters – Tesla set to unveil next-generation Roadster and Reuters – Tesla signals Oct 1 launch (syndicated copy)
- NBC News – Elon Musk shows off ‘flying’ Tesla Roadster after years of delays
- CARmag – New Tesla Roadster revealed with SpaceX technology
- Digital Trends – Tesla reveals redesigned Roadster
- Yahoo Autos – Tesla reveals SpaceX-powered Roadster
- Ubergizmo – Tesla Roadster demo
- Autoblog – Tesla just blamed the sky for its latest Roadster delay
- Kelley Blue Book – Tesla’s Roadster faces another delay
- Jalopnik – Tesla Roadster re-reveal
- Not a Tesla App – Roadster event recap
- The Next Web – Tesla unveils thruster-equipped Roadster
- Electrek – Roadster October 1 reveal teaser
- TeslaNorth – Roadster reservations reopen
- Dealroom – How Tesla’s Roadster flips
- Electrek – Porsche Taycan Turbo GT; Automotive World – Yangwang U9 Track Edition record
- Wikipedia: Tesla Roadster (first generation) and (second generation)
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