Tesla said the thrusters are powered by onboard compressed gas. Musk said that the same technology that allows the vehicle to fly will also create downward force that allows the vehicle to turn corners very quickly. “It’s going to crush every track record that has ever existed,” he said.
The company initially promised the Roadster 2 would ship in 2020. On Thursday, the Tesla team did mention the new timeline, but did not mention what the new car will cost. Musk has a long history of not following through on his loftiest product ambitions, and timelines for many Tesla releases have repeatedly missed targets.
The company posted on X that the Roadster 2 would come in three variants: a two-seater “Performance” road-ready version that lacks the thrusters Tesla showed off on Thursday; a “race ready” Thrust variant; and an “air ready” Rocket variant that has only one seat. The Tesla website lists the Rocket as “invite only” and the Thrust as “limited.” You can currently only place a reservation for the Performance version.
When it was first announced, enthusiasts put down $50,000 deposits for what was advertised as a $200,000 car. (That deposit is worth more than $68,000 in 2026 dollars.) Some got sick of waiting. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman complained on X last year that he had trouble canceling his reservation. Musk posted that Altman received a refund in 24 hours.
A reservation page posted on Tesla’s site now charges a $5,000 reservation fee, with an additional $45,000 due within 10 days.
Musk has said that Tesla should no longer be regarded as a carmaker and that the company is focused on building autonomous vehicle technology and robots.
Tesla said the thrusters are powered by onboard compressed gas. Musk claimed that the same technology that allows the vehicle to fly will also create downward force that allows the vehicle to turn corners very quickly. “It’s going to crush every track record that has ever existed,” he said.
The unveiling event comes at a weird time for electric vehicles. Sales of EVs have stalled in the US after the GOP-led Congress nixed federal support. Meanwhile, the global energy crisis has EV sales booming elsewhere. Electric luxury hypercars—the class to which the Roadster 2 belongs—are in an especially tricky spot. Several luxury automakers have said that wealthy buyers are now looking for the sound and power of a typical gas-powered vehicle. Lamborghini shelved its plans to make an EV earlier this year.
