Tesla unveils thruster-equipped Roadster at SpaceX facility in Texas

Tesla unveiled a new version of its Roadster electric sports car at an event at a SpaceX facility in Texas. Chief executive Elon Musk presented the car. The BBC, The Guardian, The Verge and Anadolu Agency reported the unveiling.

The Roadster shown at the event is equipped with thrusters. SpaceX, Musk's aerospace company, was involved in the vehicle, through its development or by supplying technology or components.

In a demonstration, the car drove up a ramp, flipped or spun in the air, and landed using its thrusters. It used suction to grip a vertical or upside-down section of the ramp. It also used its thrusters to jump over a line of existing Tesla models.

After the event, Tesla's website listed three versions: 'performance', 'thrust' and 'rocket'. The first two are two-seaters. The 'rocket' is a one-seater. The website says it is available by invitation only and is not approved for public roads. Musk first announced the next-generation Roadster in 2017.

Reported details

According to The Verge, the event was held in Waco and lasted less than 30 minutes. No price or release date was mentioned during it. The Verge reported that the car carries two air tanks holding about 250 kilograms of air, uses 10 nozzles and has a SpaceX-supplied suction fan producing up to two Gs. The reports do not attribute these figures to a specific Tesla statement.

According to The Guardian, Tesla's reservation site showed deposits of £50,000 for 'performance' and $250,000 for 'thrust'. The Guardian also reported that Musk posted a video of the event on X.

What is disputed

The Verge describes cold-gas thrusters using stored compressed air, while the BBC says the car landed using "air jets". An Anadolu Agency headline refers to "SpaceX rocket thrusters". The Guardian quoted Musk as mentioning "altitude controls"; The Verge paraphrased him as describing attitude-control thrusters.

What each side says

The Guardian quoted Musk as saying: "Flying cars are real." He said the car was remotely controlled "to make sure we don’t kill anyone", according to The Guardian. Musk and Tesla say the car reaches 60 mph in under one second; according to The Verge, Tesla claimed 0.81 seconds at the event. Musk says production will start in 2028.

The Verge quoted Musk as saying: "This will be an actual car that’s on the roads." The Guardian quoted him as saying: "I’m not sure it’s necessarily legal in all jurisdictions." According to The Verge, Tesla engineering vice-president Lars Moravy called the jump "a kick flip".

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include independent verification of the performance figures, or comment from regulators or independent experts.

Analysis

The demonstration shows a prototype, but several questions remain open. Musk's own statements point to a tension: he says the car will be on roads, yet Tesla's website says the 'rocket' version is not approved for public use. Whether it could be certified depends on regulators, whose views are not included in the reports reviewed. The production timeline also merits caution, as the 2017 announcement cited deliveries in 2020. One scenario is a road-legal version without flight features; another is a limited, off-road release. Independent testing would help clarify the performance claims.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.