The Physics Behind Tesla’s Flying Roadster
This article explores the physics behind the prototype Tesla Roadster 2, specifically its ability to drive up vertical surfaces and perform aerial maneuvers. It explains the role of static friction and force diagrams in enabling these unconventional vehicle movements.
Why it matters
It bridges the gap between marketing hype and scientific reality, helping readers understand the physical limitations and principles governing advanced automotive engineering.
Last week, Elon Musk revealed Tesla’s long-delayed Roadster 2 with a few bells and whistles. The car flies—but not for very long—and the prototype also did a few other things normal cars can’t, like driving up a vertical wall and jumping over Tesla’s entire lineup of vehicles.
This raises two questions: Should we let humans drive up walls and into the air? Given their trouble navigating two-dimensional roads, this seems like an obvious no. But that’s one for lawyers and the Federal Aviation Administration to figure out. The other question is, how did the Roadster 2 prototype do this stuff? We can answer that ourselves, with physics.
Driving Up a Wall
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