Tesla Reveals New Roadster with SpaceX Thrusters, Claims 0-100 kmph in 0.8 seconds

Tesla has unveiled the long-awaited second-generation Roadster, showcasing a prototype equipped with SpaceX-supplied thrusters and a fan-based system designed to generate suction beneath the car. The reveal took place at SpaceX’s testing facility in McGregor, Texas, nine years after Tesla first presented the electric sports car concept.

A Roadster That Can Fly?

The highlight of the reveal was a demonstration in which a prototype drove up a steep structure, performed a barrel roll, and appeared to fly forward before landing. Tesla claims the thrusters produce more than 80kN of force, while the fan system generates up to 2g of suction to help keep the car attached to the road.

The thrusters use ultra-high-pressure air tanks rather than conventional rocket fuel. Tesla also demonstrated acceleration runs, claiming the Roadster can reach 60mph in just 0.8 seconds.

Other performance claims include:

• Claimed Top speed: More than 370 kmph
• Target acceleration: Tesla says it expects to improve on the demonstrated 0.8-second run.
• Aerodynamics: An active rear wing with high-drag and high-downforce modes.
• Design: Butterfly doors, a two-seat cabin, a yoke-style steering wheel, and a wide central display.

Three Versions Planned

Tesla has announced three configurations for the Roadster:

• Performance: Two seats, active rear wing and fan system.
• Thrust: Adds rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters to the Performance configuration.
• Rocket: Adds perimeter-mounted thrusters, which Tesla claims can enable upward movement and lateral rotations. This version has only a driver’s seat.

Production Planned for 2028

Musk said Tesla expects to begin building the Roadster in 2028, although pricing and complete production specifications remain undisclosed. The company has also suggested that the car could eventually target a speed approaching half the speed of sound, but this remains an ambition rather than a confirmed production specification.

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Final Take

The new Roadster pushes Tesla’s performance ambitions into unusual territory, combining electric sports-car technology with experimental thrusters and active aerodynamics. However, its headline performance figures and flight demonstrations remain manufacturer claims, with production still some time away.