Almost a Decade Late, Tesla Unveils "Flying" Roadster That Can't Both Fly and Drive
According to Reuters and the U.S. website Business Insider, after a delay of nearly ten years, the U.S. automaker Tesla publicly unveiled the redesigned Roadster electric sports car on October 15 local time. A demonstration video shows the car driving upside down along a ramp using an adhesion system, then lifting off, flipping, and landing with deceleration using built-in thrusters. Lars Moravy, Tesla's Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, said: "Flying cars are real."
The report notes that this model was jointly developed by Elon Musk's Tesla and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX). At the SpaceX test facility in McGregor, Texas, Musk introduced the car, saying it is equipped with "advanced ultra-high-pressure gas tanks," altitude control thrusters, and a rear main thruster, "so it can basically fly like a rocket and even do rolls."
Musk said the two-seater sports car accelerates from zero to 60 miles per hour (about 97 kilometers per hour) in under one second, with a top speed exceeding 230 miles per hour (about 370 kilometers per hour). According to data provided by Tesla, the car completes this acceleration in 0.81 seconds, with a range of approximately 300 miles (about 483 kilometers).
However, this "flying" capability comes with clear limitations. Tesla stated that the "Rocket Edition" equipped with the propulsion system will most likely not be street-legal and is only permitted for demonstration on closed tracks and test sites, while the street-legal "Performance Edition" does not include flying thrusters. Furthermore, the "flight" relies on cold-gas thrusters and compressed air tanks; once the high-pressure gas is expelled, it ends, allowing only brief lift-off rather than sustained flight. Musk himself acknowledged that he is "not sure it is legal in all jurisdictions."
Tesla said the new model is scheduled to enter production in 2028. The company's official website reservation page shows that customers ordering the "Performance Edition" must pay a deposit of 50,000 U.S. dollars, while the "Propulsion Edition" equipped with "acceleration thrusters" requires a deposit of 250,000 U.S. dollars. There is also a "Rocket Edition," available by invitation only, which is a single-seat model equipped with a "full flight system." Tesla's reservation agreement also states that the vehicle is still in the research and development stage, no delivery date can be promised, and the reservation does not constitute a formal purchase order.
Reuters pointed out that whether the car's "flying" function can be legally used on public roads remains unclear. Tesla first unveiled the Roadster concept car back in 2017, when it planned to begin deliveries in 2020 and advertised a range of approximately 1,000 kilometers on a single charge. Since then, Tesla has repeatedly postponed the announced delivery date.