Elon Musk unveiled a Tesla Roadster that flies: Take a closer look
A dramatic flying demonstration
The Roadster climbed a large curved ramp, went upside down, then flew off, flipped and landed safely. Thrusters appeared to be attached to the vehicle’s underside. After the landing, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said, “Well, it worked.” Tesla vehicle engineering vice president Lars Moravy added, “Flying cars are real.” Musk described the car as a collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX engineers.
Speed and design details
Musk said the Roadster uses an “advanced ultra-high pressure air tank” to lift itself. In another recorded demonstration shown on screen, Tesla said the car reached 60 mph in 0.81 seconds. The vehicle appears to lack side-view mirrors, raising questions about whether it can meet federal standards for street use. Musk said it would be the only Tesla meant to be driven manually and was not “necessarily a safety-optimized car.”
A long-awaited Tesla model
Tesla’s first production vehicle, the original Roadster, launched in California in 2008. It paired a chassis derived from British sports-car maker Lotus’ Elise with an all-electric powertrain, and production ended in 2012.
Customers could reserve a Roadster with a $50,000 deposit or pay $250,000 upfront for a Founders Series model. As the wait approached a decade, Musk apologized to “long-suffering” deposit holders during an earnings call and said Tesla was focused heavily on robotics and autonomy programs. Business Insider previously reported that Tesla began ramping up the Roadster’s design cycle in the summer of 2025.
Key points
- The Roadster flew off a curved ramp, flipped and landed safely, apparently with help from underside thrusters.
- Tesla showed a separate demonstration in which the car reached 60 mph in 0.81 seconds.
- The apparent absence of side-view mirrors raises questions about federal street-legal standards.
- The original Roadster launched in California in 2008, and production ended in 2012.