Tesla Unveils Redesigned Roadster With SpaceX Inspired Thrusters

Tesla has unveiled a redesigned Roadster featuring SpaceX inspired thrusters, with Elon Musk claiming it can accelerate to 96 kilometres per hour in under one second and exceed 370 kilometres per hour. First announced in 2017, the car is expected to enter production in 2028. Its significance extends beyond sales, as Tesla increasingly focuses on artificial intelligence, autonomous driving and Optimus humanoid robots.

Tesla has unveiled a redesigned version of its electric Roadster sports car, featuring built in thrusters and unusual manoeuvres, nearly nine years after first presenting the next generation model. The company has previously said production would begin in 2028, although the vehicle's development has faced a lengthy wait since its original announcement.
The two seater car was demonstrated on Thursday at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas. Developed in collaboration with SpaceX, the rocket company led by Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, the Roadster was shown performing stunts that included driving upside down on a ramp using a suction system, turning in the air and landing with the help of built in thrusters.
It was not immediately clear how the features would work under ordinary driving conditions or whether they would be permitted on public roads. The demonstration nevertheless highlighted Tesla's ambition to present the Roadster as more than a conventional electric sports car.

TESLA CLAIMS EXTREME SPEED AND ACCELERATION

Musk said the redesigned Roadster could accelerate from zero to 96 kilometres per hour in less than one second and reach a top speed of more than 370 kilometres per hour.
If achieved under real world conditions, those figures would place the car among the most extreme performance vehicles in the electric car market. However, the claims will need to be assessed against the performance of a production model, rather than a demonstration vehicle or prototype.
The thrusters are particularly unusual because they suggest the car could use technology associated with aerospace engineering. Details about the system, its power source, safety controls and practical operation have not been fully established in the information released so far.
The legality of using such technology on public roads also remains uncertain. Road vehicles must comply with safety regulations covering areas such as braking, stability, occupant protection and the risks posed to other road users.

A PROJECT DELAYED SINCE 2017

Tesla first revealed a prototype of the next generation Roadster in 2017, when it said customer deliveries would begin in 2020. That timetable was not met, and the company has continued to delay the vehicle's arrival.
The latest unveiling comes with production still expected to begin in 2028, according to Tesla's previously announced plans. That means customers have been waiting for years for a car first presented almost a decade ago.
In 2017, Musk also said the four seat vehicle would be capable of travelling 1,000 kilometres on a single charge. The battery range, final specifications, price and delivery schedule will be important factors in determining whether the production model meets those expectations.
Musk has previously played down the Roadster's likely contribution to Tesla's finances. In 2023, he described it as a “small potato situation”, indicating that sales of the vehicle would not make a major difference to the company's overall financial performance.

WHY THE ROADSTER STILL MATTERS TO TESLA

Although the Roadster is expected to account for only a small share of Tesla's sales, it carries symbolic importance for the company. Carmakers often develop high performance flagship vehicles, sometimes called halo cars, to demonstrate their engineering capabilities and attract attention to their wider product range.
Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein has described the Roadster as a potential new halo car for Tesla. Such a vehicle can help strengthen a brand's image by showcasing technologies that may influence how consumers view the manufacturer's other products.
Goldstein expects Tesla to sell around 2,000 Roadsters annually. That would represent a small portion of the approximately 1.6 million vehicles Tesla sold last year.
The Roadster's importance is therefore likely to extend beyond the number of cars delivered. Its performance, design and technology could help Tesla maintain its identity as an electric vehicle innovator, particularly as competition in the electric car market increases.

THE ORIGINAL ROADSTER HELPED ESTABLISH TESLA

Tesla's first Roadster went on sale in 2008 and remained available until 2012. It was the company's first electric vehicle and used a chassis based on the Lotus Elise.
The original model helped challenge the perception that electric cars were necessarily slow, limited in range or designed mainly for short journeys. By presenting an electric vehicle as a high performance sports car, Tesla helped demonstrate that electric propulsion could appeal to drivers interested in speed and style as well as efficiency.
The company later expanded its range with the Model S and Model 3 saloons, alongside the Model X and Model Y sport utility vehicles. These vehicles helped establish Tesla as a major manufacturer of electric cars.
The new Roadster is expected to serve a different purpose from these mass market models. Rather than targeting large numbers of buyers, it is intended to showcase performance and technology at the upper end of Tesla's range.

TESLA SHIFTS TOWARDS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ROBOTICS

The Roadster's unveiling comes as Tesla increasingly emphasises artificial intelligence, autonomous driving and robotics alongside its traditional car manufacturing business.
Tesla has been developing self driving technology and has introduced the Cybercab, a two seat robotaxi designed without conventional manual controls such as a steering wheel, pedals and mirrors. The vehicle reflects the company's plans to expand into automated transport services.
Tesla has also been investing in Optimus, its humanoid robot programme. The company has said it wants to use robotics in manufacturing and other tasks, although the scale and timing of commercial deployment remain important questions.
This strategic shift marks a change in emphasis for a company best known for electric vehicles. It also raises questions about how Tesla will divide investment and production capacity between its established cars, autonomous transport systems and robotics.

THE ROADSTER'S ROLE IN TESLA'S NEXT PHASE

The redesigned Roadster gives Tesla an opportunity to renew interest in a long delayed vehicle while showcasing ambitious performance claims and technology developed with SpaceX. Yet the demonstration is only one stage in the process of bringing a car to market.
The key tests will be whether Tesla can turn the prototype's unusual features into a safe, reliable production vehicle, meet its proposed performance targets and provide a credible delivery schedule. Questions about the thrusters' practical use and road legality will also need to be resolved.
For Tesla, the Roadster may not become a major source of revenue compared with its larger vehicle lines, but it could play an important role in demonstrating the company's engineering ambitions as it expands further into artificial intelligence, autonomous driving and robotics.