New Tesla Roadster revealed: three versions, SpaceX thrusters and 0–60 mph in under a second
Tesla unveiled the new Roadster in Performance, Thrust and Rocket form, with SpaceX cold-gas thrusters and more than 300 miles of range.
It's here! At 7:55pm Texas time, the "Tesla" account posted a single word on X, "Roadster", together with the livestream link, and pulled the covers off its new electric supercar. If you missed it, the replay is linked in our livestream article. Tesla calls it "the last best driver's car", the pinnacle of cars driven by humans.
Three versions, from road to sky
The Roadster comes in three configurations, all using a suction system that pins the car to the tarmac:
- Performance: two seats and road legal, with active aerodynamics and 0–60 mph in under 1.6 seconds.
- Thrust: two seats and built for the track, with rear cold-gas thrusters and 0–60 mph in under 0.9 seconds.
- Rocket: a single seat and thrusters around the whole perimeter that push the car forward, upward and can rotate it sideways. Tesla says plainly that yes, it can fly. The sprint drops below 0.59 seconds.
Tesla quotes more than 300 miles of range and a top speed above 230 mph for the Rocket.
The live demo: the Roadster took flight off the ramp
The star of the night was a huge curved ramp built especially for the event. The white Roadster started at its base, doors shut and tail lights glowing.
Screenshot from Tesla’s livestream
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for: the car left the ramp and stayed airborne, its thruster jets clearly visible. The livestream overlay showed an altitude of 62.2 ft, roughly 19 metres, and 0.3 G.
Screenshot from Tesla’s livestream
Clouds of smoke wrapped the car beside the ramp, and later, on stage, the audience got a close look at the Roadster’s rear.
Screenshot from Tesla’s livestream
Screenshot from Tesla’s livestream
Rocket tech in a car
Photo: Tesla
The thrusters draw on SpaceX know-how. Every spare cavity in the body holds carbon-fibre pressure tanks (COPVs), and more gas means more time in the air. According to Tesla, the thrusters deliver four to five times the force the tyres can put down.
The design takes cues from the SR-71 and F-35 aircraft. In Track Mode the car drops lower and its wings deploy, moved by the same actuators as the Optimus robot, and Tesla promises the strongest passive downforce of any road car. The official page adds that the fans can hold the car upside down, and that it steers by wire through a yoke.
What it means for drivers
Performance is open for reservations, Thrust will be a limited release and Rocket will be invite-only and is not approved for public roads. On the US site, a reservation costs $5,000 plus $45,000 within 10 days, fully refundable. Final pricing and delivery dates have not been announced yet, so we are eagerly watching for the next steps. For every photo and detail on the official page, see our tour of the Roadster page.
