Skip to content
HypeGale
GadgetsTrending

Tesla's New Roadster Can 'Fly': Is It Worth the Hype?

Tesla's Roadster flipped, flew and hit 60 mph in 0.81s. But with no price, independent testing or road approval yet, here's what's real and what isn't.

Too Soon to Tell6 min readBy HypeGale Content TeamPublished Updated
Editorial illustration for “Tesla's New Roadster Can 'Fly': Is It Worth the Hype?”

Nine years after Tesla first showed a new Roadster, the car finally had its proper reveal on October 15, 2026, at SpaceX's rocket test site in McGregor, near Waco, Texas. It drove upside down on a ramp, flipped in mid-air, hopped over a row of other Tesla vehicles and posted a 0-60 mph run of 0.81 seconds. Clips spread fast, and so did the questions: Can it really fly? What does it cost? Can you actually buy one? Here is what we know, what we don't, and whether the hype holds up.

What's Actually Real Here

Some things were shown on stage, not just promised:

  • The stunts happened. The livestreamed demo showed the car climb a curved ramp until it was nearly inverted, use compressed-air thrusters to flip and land upright, and jump over a line-up that included a Cybertruck and a Model 3.
  • The launch was fast. A live run was timed at 0.81 seconds to 60 mph. Paul Tan's coverage notes it was a shortened run on a launch pad, and an earlier recorded run showed about one second.
  • There are three versions. Tesla's reservation page lists Performance (two seats, active aero and a fan "suction" system, 0-60 under 1.6 seconds), Thrust (adds rear acceleration thrusters, 0-60 under 0.9 seconds) and Rocket (one seat, a full set of 10 thrusters, invite-only and not offered in every region).
  • The "flying" is cold gas, not jet engines. On the Rocket version, Tesla says two carbon-wrapped tanks hold roughly 600 liters of compressed air (about 250 kg) feeding 10 nozzles. Carscoops reports the Thrust version has a smaller tank that reportedly empties in about six seconds. That allows short hops and controlled landings, not sustained flight.
  • Reservations are open, but outlets report the terms differently. TechCrunch says $50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust. InsideEVs says a refundable $50,000 deposit applies to all three versions, and another report describes $5,000 down plus $45,000 within ten days. Check Tesla's order page for the current terms. Tesla says production starts in 2028.

Where the Hype Outruns the Reality

The demo was spectacular. The buyer information was thin.

  • No price. Tesla quoted $200,000 for a base car back in 2017 but gave no price at this event. The deposits are not the final price.
  • Range is a claim, and the battery size is unknown. The 2017 promise was 620 miles from a 200 kWh pack. TechCrunch reports roughly 300 miles for all trims and InsideEVs reports a claimed 310 to 320 miles, about half the original promise. No battery capacity has been published, and none of it has been independently tested.
  • Top speed has come down. Tesla now says "over 230 mph," lower than the 250-plus mph claimed in 2017, though Musk says he wants to go much higher eventually.
  • Street legality is unresolved. Musk said the car may not be legal in all jurisdictions, and no outlet reported any regulatory approval for the thrusters or fan system on public roads. InsideEVs reports that Tesla's order page says the 10-thruster Rocket version is not street legal.
  • Safety was openly not the priority. Musk told the audience it is not necessarily a safety-optimized car. That is unusual language for something sold to the public.
  • The timeline record is poor. The Roadster was promised for 2020. Deliveries slipped repeatedly, and the reveal itself moved from late 2025 to April 2026, then to October 1, before weather pushed it to October 15. A 2028 start is a target, not a delivery date.
  • The stunt cars were driving themselves. Musk said the demo car was technically operating autonomously, while the production Roadster will be driven manually. What a person can do with it on a real road is a different question from what a programmed prototype did on a test pad.

InsideEVs summed up the buyer's position bluntly: people reserving now are going in mostly blind. Carscoops adds that it is unclear whether the demo cars matched the production design.

Should You Put Down a Deposit?

For almost everyone, this is a car to watch, not to reserve. If you are seriously considering it, a few practical points:

  1. Check the deposit terms yourself. InsideEVs reports the $50,000 deposit as refundable, but read the current terms on Tesla's site before paying, including any deadline to pay the balance after reserving.
  2. Think about opportunity cost. $50,000 or $250,000 tied up until at least 2028, with no final price, is a real cost, even if you get the money back later.
  3. Wait for specs that matter on the road. Range, charging, warranty, insurance and street-legal status are what decide whether this is a usable car or a very fast collector piece.
  4. Compare with cars you can buy today. Several electric hypercars already offer extreme acceleration with confirmed prices and deliveries. They can't flip in mid-air, but they exist now.
  5. Outside North America, wait longer. Reservations are open in the US, and Paul Tan reports a Malaysian reservation page. We found no confirmed details for UK or EU deliveries, and European road rules could limit the thruster features.

FAQ

Can the Tesla Roadster really fly? Not in the sense of a plane. Cold-gas thrusters let the Rocket version hop, spin and soften landings for short moments. Tesla has not said how long a full tank of air lasts or how quickly it refills.

How much does the new Tesla Roadster cost? Tesla has not announced a price. Reported reservation amounts range from $50,000 for any version to $250,000 for Thrust, so check Tesla's order page. The Rocket version is invite-only.

When will the Tesla Roadster be delivered? Tesla says production begins in 2028. Given the history of delays since 2017, that date is best treated as a goal.

Is the Tesla Roadster street legal? Not confirmed. Musk said it may not be legal everywhere, and no road approval for the thrusters has been reported.

Is 0-60 in 0.81 seconds real? It was measured at Tesla's own event on a short run. It has not been independently tested.

Prices mentioned in this article were checked at the time of writing and are given as "from" or approximate figures where possible. Actual prices vary by retailer, region, taxes, plan and promotion, so please do not treat the figures here as final. Check the seller's own site for the current price.

Things change quickly. This article reflects what was publicly known when it was written or last updated, so details such as prices, availability, rules and product specs may have changed since. Always check the official source before you buy or decide.

Sources

Share this storyXFacebookLinkedInWhatsApp

Keep reading

Related articles