Tesla's Next Roadster Is Revealed, But Price and Production Date Remain Open

Tesla has finally shown its next-generation Roadster after a demo that was pushed back several times this year. The performance claims are striking, but buyers still have no price and no production date, and the most extreme versions are not approved for public roads. Tesla is not among the brands HS Motors sells, but the reveal is a useful reminder to check road approval, trim details and deposit terms before reserving any high-performance electric car.

Nine years in the making

Tesla first showed the Roadster as a prototype in November 2017 and promised production in 2020. That date passed, and so did several more. This year Elon Musk promised an unveil in April, then late April, then about a month after Q1 earnings. The demo moved to August and then to October 1, and Tesla streamed the event on Thursday, October 15.

Three versions

The configurations were published after the livestream, in a thread on Tesla's X account:

• Performance: road ready, two seats, active aero and a "multi-mode suction system". 0-60 mph in under 1.6 seconds. Available by reservation.
• Thrust: race ready, two seats, rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters. 0-60 mph in under 0.9 seconds. Limited release.
• Rocket: one seat, thrusters around the car for upward and rotational movement. 0-60 mph in under 0.59 seconds and a top speed above 230 mph. Invite only.

All three are quoted at over 300 miles of range. Tesla's own Roadster page says the Rocket is not approved for public road use and treats Thrust and Rocket as add-ons to the Performance car. At the reveal, Musk was evasive when asked whether the car would be legal on public roads.

How it works

Tesla says its thrusters had to be redesigned to work in air rather than a vacuum, and that carbon-fibre pressure vessels fill every usable gap to store more gas, which means longer "flight time". The company claims the thrusters produce four to five times the force the tyres can handle. Fans are said to pull enough air from under the car to hold it upside down even when stationary. In Track Mode the car lowers itself and deploys wings driven by actuators developed for Optimus, with downforce "approaching F1 levels", according to Tesla. Inside there is a yoke for steer-by-wire, a centre touchscreen and two smaller driver displays, with magnesium, titanium and carbon fibre used throughout.

What is still missing

Reservations have reopened. Tesla asks for $5,000 now, which it calls fully refundable, and $45,000 within 10 days or the reservation is cancelled. That totals $50,000, the same amount requested in 2017. No price has been given for any version, and the only production timing is Musk's "2028, actually".

Several specifications have changed since 2017. The original car was promised 620 miles of range, a top speed above 250 mph and seating for four. The new car is quoted at over 300 miles, over 230 mph on the Rocket and two seats at most. Acceleration moved the other way. The base Performance beats the 1.9-second 0-60 mph time Tesla promised in 2017.

The reports also disagree on performance figures. InsideEVs quotes a 0-60 mph time of 0.81 seconds, which does not match any of the three trims listed by Electrek, where the fastest is under 0.59 seconds for the Rocket. Electrek's reviewer also argues that the stunt-focused trims are invite-only or limited, may affect the warranty, and are unlikely to sell in large numbers. Electrek further notes that customers who paid deposits in 2017, between $50,000 and $250,000, bought into a car with the earlier specifications.

What this means for buyers

A headline figure may apply only to a limited or non-road-legal version. Before paying any deposit on a performance electric car, check which trim the figures refer to, whether it is approved for your roads, what the warranty covers and when delivery is realistically expected. Pricing and delivery details will matter most once Tesla confirms them.