Texas, October 15, 2026: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has unveiled the long-awaited next-generation Tesla Roadster, putting on a dramatic demonstration in Texas in which the electric supercar briefly took to the air using technology developed with expertise from SpaceX.
During the demonstration, the redesigned Roadster climbed a specially designed curved ramp, travelled upside down and then became airborne before turning in the air and landing back on its wheels. Another demonstration showed the vehicle using its propulsion system to lift over a line of Tesla vehicles.
The unusual capability comes from a combination of high-powered aerodynamic systems and rocket-inspired thrusters. Tesla has worked with SpaceX engineers on the technology, bringing aerospace concepts into a vehicle designed primarily as a high-performance electric sports car.
Tesla also demonstrated the Roadster accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in around one second, while more extreme performance is being discussed for versions equipped with additional thruster technology. These figures are Tesla's demonstrated or claimed numbers and should not yet be treated as independently certified production-car performance.
The demonstration does not mean the Roadster functions like a conventional aircraft. Its so-called flying capability currently involves short airborne movements assisted by its propulsion system rather than sustained flight over long distances. The vehicle shown at the event is also still a prototype rather than a customer-ready production car.
The next-generation Roadster was originally announced in 2017, with Tesla initially targeting production several years earlier. After repeated delays, Musk now says production of the redesigned car is expected to begin in 2028.
Tesla has presented different configurations of the Roadster, with more advanced versions expected to use additional aerospace-inspired technology. However, final specifications, pricing for all configurations and the exact capabilities that will reach production vehicles remain subject to change.
Questions also remain over how some of the Roadster's more unusual features could meet road-safety and regulatory requirements in different countries. The brief airborne capability demonstrated in Texas may face different rules depending on where the vehicle is eventually sold.
For Tesla, the new Roadster serves as much as a technology showcase as a traditional sports car. By combining electric-vehicle engineering with technology associated with SpaceX, the company is attempting to demonstrate what high-performance electric cars could potentially achieve beyond conventional acceleration and speed.
For now, Tesla's flying Roadster remains an advanced prototype, and its biggest test will come when the company attempts to turn the dramatic demonstration into a production vehicle available to customers.
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