Everything About Tesla Roadster

Tesla revealed its next-generation Roadster in a livestream on October 15, 2026, nearly nine years after the first prototype. It comes in three trims, and two of them use rocket-style thrusters. Tesla has not announced prices, and Elon Musk pointed to 2028 for production.

It is the most extreme car Tesla has ever shown, and one of its most delayed.

The original Roadster, sold from 2008 to 2012, was Tesla’s first car. Built on a Lotus Elise chassis, it proved electric cars could be fast and desirable.

Revealed

November 2017

Promised production

2020

0-60 mph

1.9 seconds

Range

620 miles

Top speed

Over 250 mph

Seats

Four, as a 2+2

Customers began paying reservation deposits in 2017, and the launch slipped again and again.

Performance

Two seats. Built for the road, with active aero and a suction system. 0-60 mph in under 1.6 seconds. Available by reservation

Thrust

Two seats. Built for the track, with rear cold-gas thrusters. 0-60 mph in under 0.9 seconds. Released in limited numbers

Rocket

One seat. Thrusters all around the car for vertical and rotational moves. 0-60 mph in under 0.59 seconds and a top speed over 230 mph. Invite only, and not approved for public roads

Tesla presents Thrust and Rocket as add-ons to the Performance car.

Range

Over 300 miles

Top speed

Over 230 mph, Rocket trim only

Materials

Magnesium, titanium, and carbon fiber

Battery and charging

Not announced

• Cold-gas thrusters, fed from carbon-fiber pressure tanks, push the car past what tires alone can manage
• Tesla claims the thrusters produce four to five times the force the tires can handle
• A fan-based suction system pins the car to the ground, and Tesla claims it can hold the car upside down
• Track Mode drops the ride height and deploys active wings, moved by Optimus robot actuators

The livestream featured stunts, including the car flipping through the air.

• Styling inspired by the SR-71 and F-35 aircraft
• Hidden headlights and a full-width taillight
• Ano White paint modeled on rocket coatings
• A cabin with a steer-by-wire yoke, a center screen, and two driver displays
• A fixed seat and manual controls that save weight

Reservations reopened with a $50,000 deposit for the Performance trim: $5,000 due right away plus $45,000 due within 10 days, or the reservation is cancelled. TechCrunch reported $250,000 to reserve Thrust, and Rocket is invite only. Tesla did not announce prices for any trim.

Never send a large deposit before reading the full terms on Tesla’s own website.

0-60 mph

Promised 1.9 seconds. Now under 1.6 seconds, on Performance

Range

Promised 620 miles. Now over 300 miles

Top speed

Promised over 250 mph. Now over 230 mph, on Rocket

Seats

Promised four. Now two at most

• How much each trim will cost
• Whether production really starts in 2028
• Whether thrusters and suction can pass road safety rules
• Whether the Thrust trim will be road legal
• What battery size and charging speeds it gets
• How stunt features affect the warranty
• What happens to 2017 reservation holders

• Check Tesla’s official Roadster page and announcements
• Read trusted automotive news, not just social posts
• Treat every performance figure as a Tesla claim until independent tests confirm it