‘Flying Cars Are Real’: Elon Musk Unveils Tesla Roadster 2 That Takes Flight, Flips Mid-Air in Stunning Demo
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Tesla demonstrated its long-awaited Roadster 2 at a SpaceX facility in Texas, where the electric supercar performed an aerial flip and briefly hovered before landing safely.
The demonstration took place on Thursday, with Tesla chief executive Elon Musk watching as the vehicle completed the manoeuvre. The car drove upside-down on a huge curved ramp, flipped through the air and landed on the ground.
“Well, it worked,” Musk said after the landing.
“Flying cars are real,” added Lars Moravy, Tesla’s vice-president of vehicle engineering.
The demonstration also saw the Roadster flip over Tesla’s entire vehicle line-up, briefly floating above the Cybertruck before landing safely. Tesla claims the electric supercar can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in one second.
How Does The Tesla Roadster 2 Fly?
The Roadster 2’s aerial capabilities rely on technology developed by SpaceX, according to Moravy.
TechCrunch reported that Moravy explained how the car uses 10 thrusters connected to 600 litres of compressed air to lift the vehicle and spin it in mid-air.
Tesla also addressed the technology in a post on X, stating, “More compressed gas on board = more flight time.”
The demonstration offered a glimpse of the technology behind the vehicle, which Tesla has been developing for nearly a decade.
When Will The Tesla Roadster 2 Go On Sale?
First announced in 2017, the Roadster 2 is the long-awaited successor to Tesla’s original Roadster. The company had initially promised to begin shipping the vehicle by 2020, but it has remained in development.
Despite the latest demonstration, buyers will have to wait longer for the electric supercar. Musk said the vehicle would enter production in 2028.
How Much Will The Tesla Roadster 2 Cost?
Tesla is offering the Roadster 2 in three variants: Performance, Thrust and Rocket, each positioned for a different level of capability.
The company describes the Performance variant as “road ready” and the Thrust version as “race ready”. The top-end Rocket variant is labelled “air ready”.
Tesla has begun accepting reservations for the vehicle. Reserving the Performance version costs $50,000, while the Thrust variant requires a $250,000 reservation.
The Rocket version is available by invitation only and cannot be reserved through the standard process.
With production scheduled for 2028, the latest demonstration marks another milestone for a vehicle Tesla first announced nearly a decade ago.
