The story so far: On October 15, multi-billionaire Elon Musk launched a revamped Tesla Roadster. During the unveiling, the car performed an aerial stunt after driving up a curved ramp. It flew off the edge, flipped mid-air, and hovering over a heap of white fumes, landed safely. The demo thrilled many, but the actual vehicle will not enter production until 2028 and the car must clear numerous regulatory hurdles. Still, Tesla is accepting payments for car reservations — with caveats.
What is the tech powering the Tesla Roadster?
Tesla is pitching the new Roadster as a space-tech vehicle, stressing its similarities to rocket design and sprinkling in space age-style terms to market the design features.
The Roadster “challenges the limits of design, engineering and physics to deliver an expertly crafted extra-terrestrial vehicle,” the Tesla website says.
According to Tesla vehicle engineering chief Lars Moravy, the revamped Tesla Roadster can hit 97 km/hr in less than a second, and get to a top speed of more than 370 km/hr.
For vertical or upside-down driving, the car’s multi-mode fan and ground sealing system pull air out from under the vehicle, ensuring it has the suction it needs, per Tesla’s website. Meanwhile, cold-gas thrusters enable car stability during flight.
However, Tesla enthusiasts should note that the so-called ‘flying car’ features apply to the invite-only, one-seater ‘Rocket’ augmented model of the Roadster. The Roadster ‘Rocket’ has a multi-mode suction system and cold-gas thrusters positioned around the car’s perimeter for forward and upward acceleration, and lateral rotational movement. It is not approved for use on public roads yet.
A limited release ‘Thrust’ augmented model that seats two comes with the multi-mode suction system and the cold-gas thrusters in the rear for maximum acceleration under a second.
There is also a ‘Performance’ model that seats two. Tesla noted it has “active aerodynamics” and a multi-mode suction system that maximised downforce for better performance on and off the track.
A single charge can make the Roadster cover more than 480 km. Further details about the car’s specifications are awaited.
As per Tesla’s India website, the ‘Performance’ variant can be reserved for ₹5,01,000 while ₹45,05,000 is due in 10 days. The ‘Thrust’ variant can be reserved for ₹5,01,000 while ₹2,45,24,000 is due in 10 days.
The Tesla Roadster is only available as a Left-Hand Drive vehicle | Photo Credit: Tesla India
What are the regulatory roadblocks for the Roadster?
Mr. Musk has noted that the car may not be legal in all countries. It is only available as a Left-Hand Drive vehicle, as per Tesla’s India website, which will lead to legal complications in the country.
This car also shows that the legislation regulating car manufacturers is fast becoming outdated. International lawmakers, automobile safety experts, and even medical professionals will all need to assess the Roadster’s suction capabilities, the gas thruster systems, and the flight safety of the ‘Rocket’ model.
Moreover, the demo did not involve a human driver. The flight system will require extensive testing before any commercial release, to certify the safety of potential human drivers inside.
On the flip side, Mr. Musk recently launched his self-driving, steering wheel-less Tesla CyberCab on a limited basis, even before the NHTSA announced an investigation into its certification standard.
As he shared the Roadster livestream event on X, Mr. Musk posted ‘Tesla x SpaceX.’ More than a ‘flying car’ demonstration, the livestream pointed to how the Tesla and SpaceX companies are converging, with their technologies being used interchangeably — if, sometimes, impractically.
The Roadster launch event is Tesla’s response to critics who complain about the company’s relatively old line-up of cars and the lack of innovative car designs when compared to international EV-makers. Tesla also faces another huge challenge: turning its flashy Roadster concept into a product that is still cutting-edge by the time it reaches customers.
Buyers will have to wait a minimum of two years to see the Roadster they reserved — assuming there are no further delays.
Tesla is scheduled to report its third quarter results on October 21.