Tesla unveils Roadster with SpaceX thrusters and targets production in 2028

A Roadster designed to leave the ground

Tesla unveiled a redesigned Roadster on October 15 at SpaceX’s test facility in McGregor, Texas, showing a two-seat electric sports car using a suction system and SpaceX-developed cold-gas thrusters. Reuters reported that the demonstration included driving upside down on a ramp, turning in the air and jumping over vehicles before landing.^[1]

Associated Press reporting described the airborne movement as brief thrust-assisted maneuvers rather than ordinary sustained flight. The demonstration vehicle was operated autonomously for safety, and the rocket-equipped version is not approved for public-road use. Regulatory treatment and the legality of several demonstrated features remain unresolved.^[2]

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Production moves to 2028

Tesla said production would begin in 2028. That timetable follows repeated delays since the next-generation Roadster was first shown in 2017 with an initial 2020 production target. The announcement therefore establishes another planned date, not a guarantee that customer deliveries will begin on schedule.^[1][2]

The company’s reservation page listed a $50,000 deposit for a Performance version and $250,000 for a Thrust version. Reuters said Tesla did not announce final prices at the event. An invite-only, single-seat Rocket configuration was described as having a full flight system, with further availability details still limited.^[1]

Performance claims and a smaller range promise

Tesla vehicle engineering chief Lars Moravy said the Roadster could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than one second, exceed 230 mph and travel more than 300 miles on a charge. Those are company claims from a controlled demonstration and have not yet been established through independent production-car testing.^[1]

The range figure is less than half the approximately 620 miles Tesla promoted when it presented the earlier concept in 2017. AP also noted that the company warns reservation holders there is no guaranteed delivery timeline, a material caveat for a car that has accumulated years of delays.^[2]

A showcase car during a strategic shift

The Roadster is intended as a high-performance showcase rather than a mass-market volume product. Reuters placed the reveal against Tesla’s increasing emphasis on autonomous driving, robotaxis and humanoid robots. Investors will still be watching production timing, regulatory approval, final specifications and pricing before the demonstration becomes a customer vehicle.^[1][2]