Tesla has finally shown its long-awaited new Roadster. After almost ten years of delays, the electric sports car took flight on Thursday night in Texas.
The big reveal in Texas
CEO Elon Musk unveiled the second-generation Roadster at a SpaceX test site near Waco. The car used special thrusters made with help from SpaceX. In the demo, it drove up a curved ramp until it was upside down, then flipped and landed safely. Later it jumped over several other Tesla vehicles including a Cybertruck and Semi, while twisting in the air.
Musk called it “the best of the last of the human-driven cars.” The company says this is the actual car that will go on the roads.
How fast and how far
The Roadster reaches 60 mph in less than one second – Tesla showed a time of 0.81 seconds in a video. Top speed is more than 230 mph. All versions offer about 300 miles of range on a full charge.
Tesla will sell three versions. The base “Performance” trim is road-ready. “Thrust” adds more power for racing. “Rocket” is the air-ready version with ten cold-gas thrusters that let it do short flights and rolls.
Still a long wait for buyers
Production will not start until 2028. Tesla is taking reservations now. The Performance version needs a $50,000 deposit. The Thrust version needs $250,000. Final prices have not been announced.
Why the long delay matters
Tesla first showed a concept in 2017 and promised cars by 2020. Multiple delays followed. The car is now seen as a special “halo” model rather than a big money-maker for the company.
The thrusters and suction fans that stick the car to the road or lift it into the air are the big new features. Whether these can be used on public roads is still unclear. For now, fans finally have a real look at the car they have waited nearly a decade to see.
