Tesla’s incredible flying Roadster makes a show, but not a ready-to-buy car

A dramatic airborne demonstration

Elon Musk presented a Roadster stunt featuring a vertical drive up a multi-story ramp, a mid-air flip over Teslas and a landing assisted by cold-gas thrusters. The demonstration took place in Waco, Texas.

The setup included 600 liters of compressed air, 10 directional cold-gas thruster nozzles and a 2G suction-fan system inspired by SpaceX. The article describes the performance as impressive, while noting that the extreme acceleration could pose physical risks.

A limited-use configuration

Tesla says the Rocket configuration will be invite only. It removes the passenger seat to fit high-pressure gas tanks and is designed for brief bursts of thruster-powered levitation rather than ordinary road use.

Where owners could take the flying vehicle remains unclear, and Tesla says it will not be approved for public roads. That makes the demonstration different from a reveal of a car available for private ownership.

Commercial details remain sparse

Tesla did not provide pricing or battery-range specifications at the event. The Roadster’s estimated range was reduced from 600 miles to 300 miles, while Musk moved the production window to 2028. Early adopters had paid $50,000 deposits more than a decade earlier, according to the article. Musk has described the Roadster as a small project compared with mass-market models such as the Model Y, and called it “the last best driver’s car.”