Tesla Roadster: SpaceX Thrusters, 0-60 in 0.59s, 2028

What Tesla actually unveiled

After nearly a decade of delays, Tesla finally showed what it says is the production version of the new Roadster at SpaceX's Rocket Test and Development Center in McGregor, Texas.

The event, fronted by Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen, VP of engineering Lars Moravy and CEO Elon Musk, ran about 20 minutes and mixed scrappy information with Hollywood-style live demonstrations. The car has abandoned the smooth curves of the original 2017 concept for a sharper, Cybertruck-like shape that Tesla says draws on the SR-71 Blackbird and rocket ships.

The headline claims are extreme: 0-60 mph in under 0.59 seconds and a top speed over 230mph on top-tier versions, thanks to SpaceX-developed cold-gas thrusters. Those thrusters produce up to 80 kN of thrust at the rear for straight-line acceleration, while individual units around and underneath the car can provide upward lift and control movement in the air. Musk said the system uses an ultra-high-pressure air tank that the car can recharge, so no special propellant is needed.

During a live demonstration, the Roadster — running autonomously for safety — jumped over Tesla's entire fleet, performed a barrel roll midair and landed in a cloud of gas before driving away. Moravy called the move 'the kick-flip' and said 'Tony Hawk would be proud.'

The suction system that holds it upside down

A second technology, a multi-mode suction system, uses fans mounted underneath the car to generate enormous downforce.

Tesla demonstrated the system by driving the Roadster up a vertical piece of road, then holding it on an overhang. The company says the fans pull enough air from under the car to hold it upside down, a trick similar in principle to the McMurtry Spéirling, which has broken multiple circuit records with its fan-assisted grip. The technology is banned in Formula 1 for obvious reasons.

According to Tesla, the system also uses patented side skirts and actuators from its Optimus humanoid robot to autonomously adjust the setup for different road surfaces, not just smooth race tracks. Musk claimed the fan technology would let customers corner 'like you're breaking physics' and that the car will 'crush every track record that has ever existed.'

Production, pricing and versions

Tesla says the Roadster will enter production in 2028, and it is taking reservations now.

Reservations require $5,000 today and another $45,000 within 10 days, or the reservation is canceled. There is no concrete final price yet, but Tesla released more information on X after the event about the versions that will go on sale. The Performance variant will use the multi-mode suction system and deliver a 0-60 mph time under 1.6 seconds, but forgo the gas thrusters. It is likely to be the only road-legal variant. A limited-release Thrust version will follow, and the car will be left-hand-drive only.

The $50,000 reservation is a significant sum, and Tesla has not said whether it is refundable. Given the company's history of delayed timelines, buyers should treat the 2028 date as a target rather than a guarantee. For context on how long EV records can take to verify, our report on the Zero DS's 271-mile electric motorcycle record shows how asterisks often follow big claims.

Availability and pricing

Tesla says the Roadster will go on sale in 2028, but it has not announced specific launch markets. The car will be left-hand-drive only, which rules out the UK, Australia and other right-hand-drive countries unless Tesla changes its plans. US customers can reserve now with a $50,000 deposit. European availability is likely but unconfirmed, and final pricing for any region has not been released.

The $50,000 reservation is a significant sum, and Tesla has not said whether it is refundable. Given the company's history of delayed timelines, buyers should treat the 2028 date as a target rather than a guarantee.

Tesla's new Roadster is the most extreme EV the company has ever shown, and the technology is genuinely wild. But with a 2028 production target, a $50,000 reservation and no final price, the gap between demonstration and driveway remains wide. We'll be watching to see if Tesla can deliver on the claims.