Tesla’s New Roadster Flies, Flips and Lands with SpaceX Thrusters – Full Story

By Trending9ja Staff • October 17, 2026 • 6 min read

Tesla unveiled its second-generation Roadster on Thursday, 15 October 2026, at SpaceX’s rocket test site near Waco, Texas, in a demonstration livestreamed on Tesla’s X account. The white two-seater, developed with SpaceX, used cold-gas thrusters to drive upside down on a curled ramp, flip in mid-air, hover and jump over a lineup of other Tesla vehicles including the Cybertruck, Cybercab, Semi, Model Y and Model 3, landing on its wheels. The reveal comes nearly nine years after the car was first teased.

Elon Musk called the demonstration “something that you haven’t seen in any movie” and described the car as “the best of the last of the human-driven cars.” He told the audience “flying cars are real” while conceding success was not guaranteed, and afterwards said: “Turns out the future does have flying cars.”

Claimed performance (Tesla’s figures, not independently tested): 0 to 60 mph in under one second, a top speed above 230 mph, range of around 300 miles and more than 1,340 horsepower from dual rear motors. An underbody fan suction system is said to give up to 2 g of cornering grip. Musk said he hopes to eventually “crack halfway to the speed of sound.”

Three versions:

• Performance – “road ready,” two seats, active aerodynamics and a multi-mode suction system for downforce. No thrusters.
• Thrust – “race ready,” two seats, rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters for the sub-one-second 0-60.
• Rocket – “air ready,” single seat, 10 thrusters around the body for lift and rotation. Invite-only.

Production is targeted for 2028, which Musk called “actually, for real.” Reservations are open in the United States, Canada, China and other markets; the Chinese site lists the Performance version at roughly 332,000 yuan (about $49,400). Reports differ on deposits: some coverage cited $50,000 for the Performance and $250,000 for the Thrust, matching the original 2017 deposits of $50,000 (standard) and $250,000 (Founders Series), while CBS News reported a $5,000 deposit for the non-flying version and said the Thrust could not yet be reserved. No final prices were announced.

Legal questions: Tesla’s website says the flying model is not approved for public road use. The FAA told CBS News the vehicle does not meet its definition of an aircraft, and a senior US Transportation Department official was sceptical that it could actually take off. It is unclear which agency would oversee it.

Reaction: Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said the Roadster will not materially affect Tesla’s volume or revenue but restores the brand’s image at the top of the market ahead of the company’s 21 October earnings report. Investor Gene Munster called it an “engineering flex” with no commercial value. The reveal has also fuelled speculation about closer Tesla–SpaceX integration, since the thruster technology is SpaceX-developed, and it arrives in a more competitive EV hypercar market than when it was first teased in 2017.

Sources: TechCrunch · WIRED · CBS News · Motor1 · Stocktwits · Reuters · CBC · Car and Driver · Tesla