Tesla $TSLA revealed the next-gen Roadster, an electric sports car, at an event Thursday, and CEO Elon Musk said production will begin in 2028. The company gave no price for the car.
The event took place at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas. In the demonstration, the car drove up a curved ramp and set itself down gently, then vaulted five additional Tesla cars with a spin in midair, according to The Wall Street Journal. Musk said the car carried no people during the stunts, according to the Journal. "It is technically autonomous to make sure we don't kill anyone," he said.
Tesla's timer showed the car going from 0 to 60 mph in under one second. Lars Moravy, Tesla's vice president of vehicle engineering, said the car lifts and spins using 10 thrusters fed by 600 liters of compressed air, according to TechCrunch.
Tesla's website lists three versions of the car: Performance, Thrust and Rocket, according to TechCrunch. The Rocket version seats one, is invitation-only and carries the disclaimer "Not approved for road use," according to the Journal.
Musk did not say how the car would be street legal. "Depends on your street, but it'll be a viable car," he said, according to the Journal.
Tesla is accepting reservations for the car, requiring $5,000 at sign-up and a $45,000 balance no later than 10 days afterward, the company said on its website. Tesla described the first payment as fully refundable and said a reservation is not final until payment is received.
Musk said the Roadster will mark Tesla’s final model designed for human drivers, according to CNBC. The car does not include Tesla’s “FSD” automated driving system, according to CNBC.
The Roadster has been delayed repeatedly since Tesla first showed it in 2017. The car debuted that November with a 2020 production target, and the company has delivered no units. Tesla took $50,000 reservations and offered a $250,000 Founders Series at the time. The 2017 version came with a promised 620-mile range and a 0-to-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds.
Tesla had originally scheduled the event for Oct. 1 but called it off on Sept. 28, citing weather and saying the show can be held only outdoors.
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