Tesla finally revealed its second generation Roadster with SpaceX thrusters on Thursday via a livestream. The announcement was made at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, just outside Waco. The demonstration included a driverless prototype climbing a curved ramp, flipping off of it and landing smoothly on its wheels. The car also used thrusters to hop over a lineup of five Teslas, including the Semi and the Cybercab.
Real life, baby pic.twitter.com/3QEqn18wig
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 16, 2026
The show arrived two weeks later than intended. Tesla had set the reveal for October 1 before weather at the site forced a reschedule. The car was first teased by Musk back in November 2017 and deliveries were set to be in motion in 2020. Nearly nine years and at least six production targets later, the car was finally unveiled to the public.
The Stunts Ran on SpaceX-built Thrusters
Tesla’s engineering prowess was on full display throughout the reveal. Two systems did most of the work. Tesla engineering VP Lars Moravy said it can generate up to 2G of suction, enough to keep the prototype pinned to an inverted ramp. Musk pitched the same downforce as a way to break track records.
The other system is a set of compressed-air thrusters developed with SpaceX. Air stored in high-pressure tanks gets pushed through 10 nozzles to jump, rotate and accelerate the car. Musk stated that these tanks can be recharged while the car is driving, and Tesla says the system runs on compressed air with no fuel involved.
Those thrusters also produced the event’s standout number. The demonstration showed the next generation Roadster clocking 0 to 60 mph in just 0.81 seconds. Tesla quotes a top speed of over 230 mph and more than 300 miles of range.
The Flying Comes in Short, Controlled Hops
Tesla’s demonstration showed the car bouncing off the ground and landing smoothly rather than any sort of hovering or cruising. As of now, Tesla hasn’t said much about how the thruster version would work on public roads. Musk wasn’t selling a family car either and at one point he told the crowd it was “not necessarily a safety-optimized car.”
Musk Says the Roadster Won’t Move Revenue
Musk has never pretended this car matters to the balance sheet. Back in 2023, he called it a “small potato situation” for Tesla’s finances. Morningstar expects around 2,000 Roadster sales a year, against the 1.6 million vehicles Tesla sold last year.
Its job is mostly symbolic. Musk confirmed it will be the only Tesla that stays human-driven going forward, at a point when the company’s attention has shifted to robotaxis, Full Self-Driving and Optimus. Tesla’s own post on X pitched it as the best of the last cars people will drive themselves.
Roadster
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 16, 2026
The last best driver's car pic.twitter.com/WURiDjgcPD
Reservation and Tier Details
Tesla is splitting the Roadster into three trims. The base Performance car seats two, uses active aero and the suction system, and hits 60 mph in under 1.6 seconds. Thrust adds rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters and cuts that to under 0.9 seconds. Rocket seats one, adds thrusters around the body for jumps and rotation, and is quoted at under 0.59 seconds with a top speed above 230 mph.
Only the Performance car is open for reservations. Thrust will be a limited release, while Rocket is invite only.
None of the three has a price yet. Tesla’s website shows that reservations cost $50,000, split into a $5,000 refundable payment upfront and $45,000 due within 10 days for the performance version while the Thrust version has a reservation cost of $250,000, with a $5,000 refundable payment and $245,000 due within 10 days. On stage, Musk said the car enters production in 2028, but Tesla gave no delivery date.
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