Tesla’s New Roadster Stuns Audience With Flying Stunts and Sub-One-Second Acceleration Claim
Tesla has unveiled a dramatic new version of its long-awaited Roadster, showcasing a series of extraordinary stunts that included a midair flip, a flying jump and an acceleration run that reportedly took the car from 0 to 60 mph in less than a second.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduced the vehicle on Thursday at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, describing the demonstration as a glimpse of what future cars could look like.
“Turns out the future does have flying cars,” Musk said during the event.
Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy also made a bold statement about the technology, saying, “Flying cars are real.”
Tesla Roadster Demonstrates Flying Stunts
The showcase featured the Roadster driving up a large, curved ramp before performing a series of gravity-defying manoeuvres. According to the demonstration, a fan-based suction system helped keep the vehicle attached to the ramp as it moved into an upside-down position.
The car then used integrated cold-gas thrusters developed in collaboration with SpaceX to propel itself away from the ramp, complete a midair flip and land safely.
In another stunt, the Roadster jumped over a row of cars and a semi-truck before flipping in the air and touching down on the other side.
The demonstration highlighted Tesla’s effort to combine electric vehicle technology with systems inspired by SpaceX’s rocket engineering.
Musk Claims Acceleration in Under One Second
Musk said certain versions of the new Roadster would be capable of accelerating from zero to 60 mph in less than one second, with a claimed top speed exceeding 230 mph.
Tesla also explained the thinking behind its thruster system in a post on X, arguing that conventional cars are limited by the grip their tyres can maintain on the road.
The company claimed its Roadster’s thrusters could generate four to five times the force available through tyre grip alone, potentially allowing much quicker acceleration.
However, these performance figures and demonstrations should be distinguished from independently verified production-car specifications.
Roadster Arrives After Years of Delays
The latest showcase comes almost nine years after Tesla first presented the Roadster concept in 2017. At the time, the company said deliveries would begin in 2020, but that target passed without the vehicle reaching customers.
During Thursday’s event, Tesla executives said production was expected to begin in 2028.
The company did not announce a final price for the new model at the event. When the Roadster was first unveiled, Tesla quoted a starting price of around $200,000.
Tesla Lists Two Reservation Options
Following the presentation, Tesla’s reservation page listed two versions with substantial upfront payments.
The Performance version required a $50,000 reservation payment, while the Thrust version, which includes acceleration thrusters, listed a $250,000 payment.
Tesla also described an invitation-only Rocket variant. The model is presented as a single-seat vehicle featuring what the company calls a “full flight system.”
The reservation amounts are not necessarily the final purchase prices, and buyers should check Tesla’s official terms for the latest details.
Tesla Calls Roadster a Milestone for Driving
Tesla described the Roadster as a historic moment for high-performance cars, presenting it as one of the most ambitious vehicles designed for human driving.
The company’s latest demonstration has renewed attention around the Roadster, which has remained one of Tesla’s most anticipated projects since its original reveal.
Still, questions remain about the vehicle’s final specifications, production timeline, pricing and the practical capabilities of its thruster-based system. With production currently targeted for 2028, customers will have to wait to see how much of the dramatic demonstration makes it into the finished vehicle.
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