The Tesla Roadster flew, drove upside down, and hit 60mph in under a second
Elon Musk promised a flying car. And the Tesla Roadster did exactly that. Tesla demonstrated its next-generation Roadster at an event in Waco, Texas, where the electric supercar drove upside down, briefly flew, and accelerated to 60mph in under a second. It was an impressive demonstration of a car that likely will come with some heavy caveats and restrictions if it ever goes into production. The event was less than…
Key points
- Tesla demonstrated its next-generation Roadster in Waco, Texas, where it drove upside down, briefly flew, and hit 60mph in under a second.
- The event lasted less than 30 minutes and included no price or release date, though Musk promised production in 2028.
- The car uses SpaceX-supplied cold-gas thrusters and a fan-based suction system, but Tesla later admitted it would not be road legal.
Tesla unveiled its next-generation Roadster at an event in Waco, Texas, where the electric supercar drove upside down on a multi-story ramp, briefly flew, and accelerated from 0 to 60mph in under a second. The demonstration lasted less than 30 minutes and featured no mention of price or release date. Elon Musk said the hypercar would go into production in 2028.
How the demonstration unfolded
The Roadster first drove up a tall, multi-story ramp, using downforce to cling to the vertical roadway. At the top, it flipped around using cold-gas thrusters and returned gently to the ground. The car relies on a fan-based suction system supplied by SpaceX and mounted underneath, generating up to two Gs of suction force.
It then flew over the rest of Tesla's lineup, including the Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, Semi, and Cybercab. Tesla VP for Engineering Lars Moravy called the maneuver a "kick flip." Musk said the Roadster has attitude-control thrusters and rear main thrusters, giving it rocket-like capabilities. "So it can basically fly like a rocket," Musk said, adding that it could do rolls and "crazy gymnastics."
So it can basically fly like a rocket. And it could do rolls. It could do, like, crazy gymnastics. Whatever you want, really. Now, I should say that this is not necessarily a safety-optimized car. But it takes the fun meter to 11 out of 10.
— Elon Musk
Specs and production plans
The Roadster carries two ultra-high pressure air tanks with a combined volume of 600 liters, holding about 250 kilograms of air, and uses 10 nozzles for maneuvers. It can recharge its own tank without a specialized chemical propellant. Tesla claimed the car hit 60mph in 0.81 seconds during the event, and Musk said the production version should improve on that result.
After the event, Tesla updated its website with three performance tiers: Performance (Road Ready) with 0-60mph under 1.6 seconds and range over 300 miles; Thrust (Race Ready) with 0-60mph under 0.9 seconds in limited release; and Rocket (Air Ready), a single-seat flagship with 0-60mph under 0.59 seconds and top speed over 230 mph, available by invite only and not approved for public road use. Musk called it "the last best driver's car."
