Tesla has unveiled a new version of the anticipated electric Roadster, nearly nine years after presenting the first prototype in November 2017. The car features the company’s modern design language inspired by Cybertruck, Cybercab, and Optimus, along with showmanship technologies including compressed-gas propulsion units that enable it to jump and spin in the air.
Tesla showcased the car during a livestream that included striking maneuvers, but provided limited details during the event. The company later published more information through its account on the X platform, without disclosing the final price or setting a binding production date; statements by Elon Musk referred only to 2028.
Three Configurations with Different Capabilities
Tesla has reopened reservations for $5,000 paid immediately, with an additional $45,000 payment due within ten days; otherwise, the reservation will be canceled. This matches the total deposit the company requested in 2017, but the car’s prices themselves have not yet been announced.
The Roadster is available in three versions:
- Performance: A road-focused version with two seats, active aerodynamics, and a multi-mode suction system, with acceleration from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than 1.6 seconds. It is available for reservation.
- Thrust: A track-focused version that adds rear compressed-gas propulsion units. Tesla claims acceleration to 60 miles per hour in less than 0.9 seconds, with limited availability.
- Rocket: A single-seat version featuring propulsion units distributed around the car’s perimeter for upward movement and rotation, with a claimed acceleration time of less than 0.59 seconds to 60 miles per hour and a top speed exceeding 230 miles per hour. It is available by invitation only.
Engineering Combining Jet Propulsion and Aerodynamics
Tesla says that operating compressed-gas propulsion units within the atmosphere required new hardware and control systems, with carbon-fiber overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) used to store the gas. The greater the amount of gas, the longer the units can operate.
The company adds that the thrust is four to five times greater than the force the tires can transmit, theoretically allowing the car to exceed the traction limit that constrains the acceleration of conventional vehicles. The suction system draws air from beneath the car to hold it in place even when inverted, while the car lowers its body in Track Mode and deploys active wings using actuators Tesla developed for Optimus.
The design includes hidden headlights, an extended rear light bar, and integrated aerodynamic components. The cabin also uses a yoke-type steering wheel connected to steer-by-wire, a central display and two screens in front of the driver, along with a fixed seat and magnesium, titanium, and carbon-fiber components to reduce weight.
What Has Changed Since the 2017 Announcement?
Some of the previously announced promises have been scaled back. After Tesla discussed a range exceeding 620 miles, a speed above 250 miles per hour, and a 2+2 cabin, the current specifications indicate a range exceeding 300 miles and a maximum of two seats, while the Rocket’s speed exceeds 230 miles per hour.
By contrast, the claimed acceleration figures have improved compared with the 1.9-second figure promised in 2017. The Roadster page explains that the Thrust and Rocket versions are not intended for regular use on public roads and that they are additions built on the Performance version.
Why Does This Announcement Matter?
The Roadster represents an engineering showcase that combines compressed-gas propulsion, composite pressure vessels, a suction system, and active wings in a single car. However, the practical value of these technologies remains limited outside demonstrations or specialized uses, because the most powerful configurations are limited or not legal for public roads, and the company has not finalized the price or production date.
Therefore, the announcement remains closer to a demonstration of high-performance technological capabilities than to a completed commercial launch. The main open questions concern regulatory approval, reliability, propulsion-unit operating time, cost, and whether the current specifications will actually reach production cars.