Panah Press | Saturday, October 17, 2026

Tesla unveiled its next-generation electric sports car, the Roadster, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at SpaceX’s test facility in McGregor, near Waco, Texas, in the United States. Elon Musk, Tesla’s chief executive, said production of the vehicle is planned for 2028.

During the livestreamed demonstration, the Roadster used fans and an underbody suction system to climb an inverted ramp, rotate in the air, and land. It then used compressed-gas thrusters to jump over five Tesla vehicles: the Cybercab, Cybertruck, Semi, Model Y, and Model 3. According to Tesla officials, the demonstration vehicle is equipped with 10 thrusters and a 600-litre compressed-air tank. The demonstration showed the car’s ability to perform brief aerial manoeuvres, but it did not amount to sustained flight. Musk himself said that its success was “not guaranteed.”

Tesla says the “Thrust” version, which features rear thrusters, can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour (about 97 kilometres per hour) in less than one second. Reports have also cited a figure of 0.8 seconds. These figures are claims made by the company and have not yet been independently tested. No official figures for top speed or driving range on a single charge could be confirmed by reliable sources.

Tesla introduced three versions: the “Performance,” the “Thrust” (a two-seater), and the “Rocket” (a single-seater with thrusters around the body, available by invitation only). The deposit for the Thrust version has been reported at $250,000. Sources differ on the deposit for the Performance version: one reports $50,000, while another lists $5,000. These amounts are deposits, not the vehicle’s final purchase prices.

The second-generation Roadster was first unveiled in 2017, when Tesla promised that deliveries would begin in 2020. However, the plan has been delayed several times. The year 2028 is also only the company’s stated target and does not guarantee that vehicles will reach customers that year. Versions equipped with thrusters have not been approved for use on public roads. The actual start of production, the performance of final production models, and the legal restrictions governing the use of the thrusters remain unclear.

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