The Tesla Roadster 2 Is Here—and It Flies
Tesla showcased the Roadster 2 at a SpaceX facility, demonstrating its ability to fly using thrusters and achieve rapid acceleration. The company confirmed a 2028 production target, addressing long-standing customer deposits and skepticism regarding the vehicle's development timeline.
Why it matters
The event underscores the challenges of luxury EV development in a shifting market and Tesla's evolving identity beyond traditional car manufacturing.
On Thursday night, Tesla and CEO Elon Musk unveiled what’s been billed as the company’s last human-driven car. The Roadster 2 is the long-awaited followup to the electric automaker’s first vehicle, the Roadster.
At a demonstration event McGregor, Texas—at SpaceX’s rocket development and testing facility—the new car did what Musk has long promised: With a herky-jerky burst of steam, it flew into the air. At one point, the car flipped over the automaker’s entire line-up, floating several feet over its electric semi-truck. Tesla executives said the vehicle could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 1 second.
“This is not necessarily a safety-optimized car,” Musk said.
Tesla fans have waited a long time for the vehicle. The Roadster 2 was first announced in 2017, and at the time Tesla said the new sports car would be the fastest production vehicle in the world.
Also covering this story
5 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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