Elon Musk unveiled a Tesla Roadster capable of aboveground hovering at a SpaceX facility in Texas on Thursday, sparking a wave of reactions on X from politicians, celebrities and Tesla enthusiasts who compared the demonstration to a scene from science fiction.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, Kari Lake and Spencer Pratt were among those marveling at the vehicle's apparent ability to lift off and maneuver above the ground in a clip that quickly gained 1.7 million views.
What We Know About the 'Flying' Roadster
While the footage stunned social media, Musk has hinted for years that Tesla's next-generation Roadster could blur the line between car and aircraft through a SpaceX-inspired thruster package. He previously suggested the vehicle could hover and make short jumps using cold-gas thrusters before Thursday's dramatic demonstration.
Tesla unveiled its long-delayed next-generation Roadster during a livestreamed event from SpaceX's test facility in McGregor, Texas, on Thursday. The presentation featured Musk, Tesla design chief Franz von Holzhausen and vice president of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy.
...
During the event, Musk told the crowd they would see "some crazy stuff" resulting from a collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX, which he called the world's best car company and the world's best rocket company.
He said it's "better than any James Bond car."
"Success is not guaranteed," Musk said. "It'll probably work, but if it doesn't work, we're at a safe distance. Excitement is 100 percent guaranteed."
He said it would defy physics and wasn't necessarily "safety optimized."
During the presentation, Tesla also said the Roadster can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than one second. Musk said production of the vehicle is expected to begin in 2028, nearly a decade after Tesla first unveiled the redesigned Roadster and started taking reservations.
Musk said the next-generation model would enter production in 2028.
How Much Could a Flying Tesla Cost?
Tesla has not announced updated pricing following Thursday's reveal.
When reservations originally opened, Tesla listed a base Roadster at $200,000, while a limited "Founders Series" model carried a $250,000 price tag. Given nearly a decade of delays, inflation and the addition of the SpaceX package, analysts expect any production version to command a substantially higher price.
Could Drivers Actually Use It on Public Roads?
That remains unclear.
Experts have long noted that a vehicle capable of lifting off the ground would likely face scrutiny from federal regulators. According to reporting ahead of the launch, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules generally classify anything that flies above the ground as an aircraft, while specialized regulations already exist for electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, known as eVTOLs.
Industry observers have suggested that any future Roadster aerial functions would likely be limited to controlled environments rather than unrestricted use over public roads and neighborhoods. The FAA flight restrictions established around Tesla's Texas demonstration site before the launch fueled speculation that regulators were already preparing for an unusual test.
Musk Has Been Teasing a ‘Flying' Roadster for Years
Thursday's demonstration marked the latest payoff in one of Musk's longest-running promises.
Since unveiling the second-generation Roadster in 2017, Musk has repeatedly touted a SpaceX package that would use cold-gas thrusters inspired by rocket technology. Over the years, he suggested the system could allow the vehicle to hover, make short jumps and achieve acceleration beyond what conventional performance cars can deliver.
The claims were often met with skepticism given the engineering and regulatory hurdles involved. Yet supporters argued that Musk has built a reputation around delivering ideas that initially sounded implausible, including reusable rockets, commercial spacecraft and large-scale electric vehicle adoption.
A New Entry on Musk’s List of Moonshot Projects
The Roadster demonstration adds another headline-grabbing project to Musk's portfolio of ambitious technologies.
Through SpaceX, Musk helped pioneer reusable orbital rockets and expanded the Starlink satellite network. Through Tesla, he pushed electric vehicles into the mainstream and popularized software-driven car updates. His companies have also pursued projects from humanoid robots to brain-computer interfaces.
Whether the Roadster ultimately becomes a practical flying vehicle remains uncertain. But the reaction from a wide range of public figures on X suggests that Thursday's demonstration succeeded in its immediate goal: convincing many viewers they had just watched a glimpse of the future.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Anna Commander and Edward T. Cummins