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Roadster completes aerial stunts in Texas
Tesla successfully demonstrated a new two-seat Roadster equipped with gas thrusters on the 15th, putting the long-promised “flying” sports car through a series of driving and aerial maneuvers without an apparent failure.
The driverless demonstration took place at SpaceX’s testing facility in McGregor, Texas, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, chief designer Franz von Holzhausen and invited guests in attendance. Before the test, Musk said success was not guaranteed but that “fun is 100% guaranteed.”
During one maneuver, the Roadster traveled about halfway up a circular track before activating its thrusters while inverted and landing on the ground. It later accelerated toward a row of five vehicles, including a large truck, fired its gas thrusters and jumped over them before landing.
“We call that a kickflip,” Musk said, borrowing a term from skateboarding. “Flying cars are real.” He said the Roadster uses thrusters for controlling its orientation as well as a main rear thruster, allowing it to move through the air like a rocket.
Tesla had been expected to conduct the test without spectators, but invited guests attended. Musk said their presence was needed to demonstrate that the event was real rather than generated using artificial intelligence or what he called superintelligence.
Tesla reports acceleration below one second
In an acceleration test, the Roadster went from a standstill to 60 mph in 0.81 seconds, meeting Musk’s previously stated goal of breaking the one-second mark. Tesla said the car’s top speed exceeds 230 mph, while Musk suggested it could eventually surpass Mach 0.5.
The company also showed a rear wing rising to configure the vehicle for high-speed driving. Musk said a powerful suction system presses the car toward the pavement to improve cornering, though he acknowledged that a Roadster with those features might not be legal to drive on every public road.
Production planned for 2028
The demonstration used autonomous driving because of safety concerns, but Tesla plans to sell the Roadster as a human-driven vehicle. Musk said it could eventually become the only Tesla model that owners drive manually.
Musk said engineers from Tesla and SpaceX worked closely together on the Roadster, combining automotive development with technology associated with his rocket company. He said mass production is scheduled to begin in 2028.
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