Tesla Unveils SpaceX-Thruster Roadster, Delays Production to 2028
Six years after its original target, the electric sports car demonstrated hovering maneuvers but offered no price or firm delivery timeline.
KEY POINTS
- Tesla unveiled the production-design Roadster with SpaceX cold-gas thrusters on October 15.
- The car demonstrated hovering, spinning, and clearing other Tesla vehicles during the event.
- Production is now targeted for 2028, eight years later than the original 2020 goal.
- No price was disclosed; Musk called the Roadster a halo car with limited revenue impact.
- Musk stated safety is not the primary goal and suggested a future Snake River Canyon jump.
Tesla revealed its redesigned second-generation Roadster at a SpaceX facility near Waco, Texas, on October 15. The vehicle used cold-gas thrusters to drive up an inverted ramp, spin mid-air, and clear a lineup of Tesla models during a live demonstration.
Engineering Vice President Lars Moravy stated the car employs 10 nozzles fed by a 600-liter compressed-air tank that can be recharged. Chief Executive Elon Musk claimed a zero-to-60-mph time of one second and said production would begin in 2028.
“If safety is your number one goal, do not buy the Roadster.”
Musk declined to announce pricing and acknowledged the Roadster is a halo project unlikely to move revenue significantly. He also warned that safety is not the vehicle's primary goal, advising buyers focused on safety to avoid the model.
The unveiling follows at least six production delays since the 2017 prototype debut, which promised a 2020 launch. Recent reports indicated Tesla planned two variants: a remote-operated demonstrator with thrusters and a street-legal version.
Musk suggested Tesla might attempt a Snake River Canyon jump, echoing Evel Knievel's failed 1974 stunt, though no timeline was given for such an event.
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