Forget zero to 60. Tesla Roadster flies, flips with SpaceX thrusters

Forget zero to 60. Tesla Roadster flies, flips with SpaceX thrusters.

Key points

• The original Roadster, sold from 2008 to 2012, was Tesla's first electric vehicle.
• This year, the firm ceased selling Model S and Model X vehicles to create room for production of its Optimus humanoid robots.
• Even if it is not projected to generate significant sales, analysts say the new Roadster could play an notable role in Tesla's image.
• The Roadster's debut arrives as Tesla increasingly focuses on artificial intelligence, self-driving technology and robotics rather than conventional passenger vehicles.
• Despite the attention surrounding the vehicle, Musk has previously downplayed its financial importance.

Forget zero to 60. Tesla Roadster flies, flips with SpaceX thrusters. Thao Nguyen USA TODAY. Tesla opens reservations for new flying roadster with SpaceX thrusters.

Tesla unveiled its new flying Roadster with SpaceX thrusters. Tesla first made public a prototype of the second-generation Roadster in 2017. Forget zero to 60. Tesla is aiming higher. Literally.

In practice, a flying car may have edged closer to reality on Oct. 15 when Tesla unveiled a redesigned Roadster equipped with thrusters and remarked the long-delayed sports car would enter production in 2028.

In practice, the unveiling marks the latest chapter for a vehicle that has become one of Tesla's longest-delayed products. Tesla first made public a prototype of the second-generation Roadster in 2017 and stated at the time that deliveries would commence in 2020.

Notably, the two-seater, developed in collaboration with CEO Elon Musk's rocket firm SpaceX, was demonstrated driving upside down on a ramp using a suction system and turning in the air before landing with built-in thrusters. It was afterwards shown leaping over a truck and other vehicles while twisting in the air.

Notably, the employ and legality of such features on public roads were not immediately clear.

"This is the culmination of incredible work by Tesla and SpaceX engineers working closely together to make something that you haven't seen in any movie, " Musk remarked at the event at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas.

Tesla vehicle engineering chief Lars Moravy remarked the Roadster can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than one second and reach a top speed of more than 230 mph. Before the demonstration, Musk cautioned attendees that the outcome was uncertain.

"By the way, success is not guaranteed, " he remarked. "I mean that. It'll probably work, but if it doesn't work, we're at a safe distance."

Tesla executives did not announce a target cost during the event. When the vehicle was first introduced almost a decade ago, the business quoted a base cost of $200, 000. Tesla dominates top-selling EVs list. Here's what that means. In practice, a symbolic vehicle for Tesla.

In practice, the vehicle operated without a driver during the showcase, a decision Musk remarked was produced "to make sure we don't kill anyone." Musk continued that the Roadster is anticipated to be Tesla's only manually driven vehicle in the long term and touted its capabilities, saying it "can basically fly like a rocket" and perform "crazy gymnastics, " while acknowledging it is "not necessarily a safety optimized car."

Despite the attention surrounding the vehicle, Musk has previously downplayed its financial importance. In 2023, he described the Roadster as a "small potato situation" that would not "move the needle in a major way financially" for Tesla.

"Tesla does not at present have a halo car, or high-performance luxury vehicle designed to showcase an automaker's best engineering and technology. The Roadster will be Tesla's new halo car, " Seth Goldstein, an analyst at Morningstar, wrote in a note last month.

After the event on Oct. 15, Tesla's reservation page listed multiple versions of the vehicle. While a "Thrust" version featuring "acceleration thrusters" requires a $250, 000 deposit, a "Performance" model requires a $50, 000 deposit.

Tesla additionally listed an invitation-only "Rocket" variant, described as a single-seat model with a "full flight system."

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Notably, the Roadster's debut arrives as Tesla increasingly focuses on artificial intelligence, self-driving technology and robotics rather than conventional passenger vehicles.

This year, the firm ceased selling Model S and Model X vehicles to create room for production of its Optimus humanoid robots. It additionally rolled out Cybercab, a two-seat robotaxi that lacks traditional controls such as a steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors.

For context, the original Roadster, sold from 2008 to 2012, was Tesla's first electric vehicle. Built on a Lotus Elise chassis, it supported establish the automaker's reputation by demonstrating that battery-powered vehicles could deliver sports-car performance. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

In short, forget zero to 60. Tesla Roadster flies, flips with SpaceX thrusters is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.