Tesla Unveils Flying Roadster With Stunts, 2028 Production Target

Flying Stunts on Display

Tesla unveiled its all-new Roadster at a live event on October 16 at the SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas. The electric sports car performed a series of aerial maneuvers: driving upside down on an inverted track, accelerating up a near-vertical slope, and flipping mid-air using four underbody thrusters.

The Roadster also leaped over a row of parked Teslas including the Semi, Cybertruck, Cybercab, Model 3 and Model Y, drawing cheers from the crowd.

SpaceX Technology Powers Flight

The vehicle uses carbon-fiber-wrapped pressure vessels with a 600-liter capacity storing 250 kg of compressed air, along with an ultra-high-pressure tank system that self-pressurizes without propellant. A main thrust nozzle and attitude-control thrusters allow rocket-like flight, while a fan-based underbody system generates up to 2G of downforce for inverted driving.

The car features a "high downforce" mode and a "low drag" mode with two-speed fan settings — increasing grip at low speeds and directing airflow at high speeds.

Musk said the prototype's 0-to-60 mph acceleration clocked as low as 0.81 seconds, with a target below 1 second for the production version.

Pricing and Specs Carry Over From 2017

Official figures remain unchanged from Tesla's 2017 announcement: the base model is priced at approx. $200,000, and the Founders Series at approx. $250,000. No new performance or range data was released at the event.

The interior uses extreme lightweight construction with seats molded directly to the chassis, plus steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire and throttle-by-wire controls.

"Last Car for Human Drivers"

Musk described the Roadster as the final Tesla designed for human piloting before the company's full transition to autonomous driving. He told callers on the April 2026 earnings call that the Roadster would remain the only Tesla where people drive themselves. He also said the car draws design inspiration from the SR-71 Blackbird and F-35 fighter jet.

"If safety is your top priority, don't buy the Roadster," Musk said, comparing it to a Ferrari before adding the company would "work hard to keep nobody in the car from dying."

Nine Years and Six Delays

First announced alongside the Tesla Semi in November 2017 with deliveries promised by 2020, the Roadster has been delayed at least six times. Production is now slated for 2028, leaving some early reservers waiting nearly a decade.

In September, Tesla reopened reservations requiring a $50,000 (approx. $50,000) deposit before the final production model is shown. Some buyers have already completed reservations.

Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, had publicly shared in 2025 that he paid a $50,000 deposit in 2018 and could not cancel or get a refund after his original email was deactivated. Musk said the refund was processed within 24 hours.

Uncertainties Remain

Tesla confirmed the Roadster will be a road-legal production vehicle, though acknowledged it may not be legal in all jurisdictions. Range, maximum flight altitude, air-traffic regulations and exact delivery timelines were not disclosed.