Tesla Unveils the New Roadster, the Sports Car Elon Musk Calls a Flying Car
Tesla has finally shown the production version of its second-generation Roadster, nine years after the first prototype. At a livestreamed event at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, on 15 October 2026, Elon Musk presented the two-seater as a car that can fly, and Tesla says production will start in 2028.
Key takeaways
- The new Roadster was unveiled on 15 October 2026 at a SpaceX site in Texas, without a driver on board during the stunts.
- Tesla claims 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in under one second and a top speed above 230 mph (about 370 km/h).
- Cold-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX let the car jump, flip in the air and land; experts call it hopping, not flying.
- Production is planned for 2028; no price was announced at the event.
What Tesla showed in Texas
The white two-seater drove up a curved ramp and used a fan-based suction system to stay attached until it was upside down. It then fired built-in cold-gas thrusters, launched off the ramp, flipped in the air and landed. In a second demonstration it jumped over a row of parked Teslas and a semi-truck. Nobody was in the car; Musk said this was to make sure nobody was hurt, and he also warned that "success is not guaranteed".
"Turns out the future does have flying cars," Musk told the audience. Lars Moravy, Tesla's vice president of vehicle engineering, added: "Flying cars are real."
Performance claims
Tesla says the same thruster system helps the car accelerate on the road. In a post after the event, the company claimed the thrusters generate "4-5x the force the tires can". The sub-one-second sprint to 60 mph was demonstrated at the event. Moravy put the top speed above 230 mph, and Reuters reported a range of more than 480 km on one charge, less than half of what Musk promised in 2017.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Unveiled | 15 October 2026, SpaceX test site, McGregor, Texas |
| Seats | 2 (single-seat "Rocket" version by invitation) |
| 0-60 mph (97 km/h) | Under 1 second (Tesla claim) |
| Top speed | Above 230 mph, about 370 km/h (Tesla claim) |
| Range | More than 480 km (reported) |
| Body materials | Magnesium, titanium and carbon fibre |
| Production start | 2028 (planned) |
The body uses magnesium, titanium and carbon fibre, and the cabin has a yoke designed for steer-by-wire. Tesla did not publish power, battery capacity or weight figures.
Versions and timing
Tesla's reservation page lists three versions: Performance, Thrust, which adds the acceleration thrusters, and an invitation-only single-seat Rocket with a "full flight system". No list price was given at the event, and Tesla has not announced European prices.
The new Roadster was first shown as a prototype in November 2017, when deliveries were promised for 2020. Musk has missed product timelines by years before, so the 2028 start should be treated as a target rather than a firm date.
Can it really fly?
The demonstration did not show sustained flight. Roger Connor of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum told AP that the car would be limited to short hops: "We are literally talking about hopping." For now, the Roadster is best seen as a halo car for Tesla, which no longer has a high-performance flagship after ending sales of the Model S and Model X.
You can find the original 2008 Roadster and today's Tesla range in our Tesla catalogue.
FAQ
When will the new Tesla Roadster go on sale?
Tesla says production will begin in 2028. No delivery dates for Europe have been announced.
How much does the new Roadster cost?
Tesla did not give a price at the event and has not published a price in euros.
Sources
- ABC30 / AP: Elon Musk unveils the Roadster, a new Tesla he says is a flying car (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Fox Business: Tesla's new Roadster makes a flying debut (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- TimesLIVE / Reuters: New Tesla Roadster takes flight with cold-gas rocket thrusters (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
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