Tesla has officially debuted the new generation of its electric sports car, the Roadster, featuring rocket-inspired technology and an expected production launch in 2028, according to Al Arabiya. The vehicle rollout follows roughly a decade of delays since the initial concept was first shown in 2017.
Tesla Unveils Next-Gen Roadster With SpaceX Rocket Tech and 2028 Production Target
The public unveiling took place during an October 15 livestreamed event at a SpaceX rocket test and development facility in McGregor, Texas, featuring Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, and Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy. During the presentation, the car demonstrated unconventional maneuvers, including driving up an upside-down ramp, hanging upside down, hopping over a row of Tesla vehicles that included a Semi truck, and executing a midair flip before landing on its wheels. Tesla noted that the stunts were performed according to a pre-programmed sequence, and when the driver’s side door opened during the demonstration, Tesla’s Optimus robot was seated inside.
Cold-Gas Thrusters and Multimode Suction Systems
Engineered through a collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX, the Roadster utilizes cold-gas thrusters—compressed air expelled from nozzles rather than burned rocket fuel—developed by SpaceX. According to Lars Moravy, 10 thrusters connect to 600 liters of compressed air. On paper, the vehicle reports a top speed exceeding 230 mph (approximately 370 km/h), more than 300 miles of range, and a 0-60 mph acceleration time under one second. On-stage testing clocked the acceleration at 0.81 seconds, while Tesla lists the single-seat Rocket version at under 0.59 seconds.
Roadster event livestream https://t.co/G0jU4mWfid
— https://x.com/Tesla/status/2110788059008819215
Tesla Plans Three Tiers for New Roadster
Tesla plans to offer the new Roadster in three distinct tiers, though a final retail price has not been formally announced by executives:
* Performance: Two-seat version requiring a $50,000 reservation deposit ($5,000 due upfront with the balance due within 10 days). It features the multimode suction system and achieves 0-60 mph in under 1.6 seconds, but lacks cold-gas thrusters. * Thrust: Two-seat version requiring a $250,000 reservation deposit ($5,000 due upfront and $245,000 due within 10 days), equipped with the cold-gas thruster setup. * Rocket: A single-seat variant built around a full flight system, available by invitation only with no listed pricing figure.
