Tesla Roadster Hits 60 in 0.81 Seconds and Actually Flies

Tesla’s first car was the Roadster, an electric sports car built between 2008 and 2012, with about 2,450 sold worldwide. Tesla revealed a second-generation Roadster in 2017 and promised deliveries in 2020. After nearly a decade of delays, the finished design debuted October 15, 2026, at the SpaceX test facility in McGregor, Texas.

2028 Tesla Roadster

The new Roadster was built alongside SpaceX engineers and uses fan suction and cold-gas thrusters to drive upside down, fly in short hops, and reach 60 mph in under a second. The thrusters fire compressed air instead of burning fuel, and the car can refill its own air tanks. Production of the Tesla Roadster is planned for 2028.

0-60 MPH in 0.81 Seconds

At the reveal, Tesla ran a thruster-assisted prototype to 60 mph in about 0.81 seconds. Tesla claims a top speed of more than 230 mph for its top Rocket trim and more than 300 miles of range. Power comes from a new rear-wheel drive unit rated at 1 megawatt, or about 1,341 hp. Tesla says it makes one-third more power than the Model S Plaid performance sedan at half the mass.

Tesla Roadster Drives Upside Down and Flies

What you’re seeing is not AI. In front of a live crowd in Texas, a Roadster prototype with no driver climbed a giant curved ramp and held itself upside down more than 60 feet off the ground. Tesla’s multi-mode fan and ground sealing system pulls air from beneath the car, creating enough suction to keep it inverted even when stopped. The Roadster then released from the ramp, rolled upright in midair with its cold-gas thrusters, and landed on its wheels.

Kickflips Over Five Teslas

During the second stunt, the Roadster rolled toward a row of five Teslas, including a Cybertruck and a Tesla Semi in the middle. Its underside thrusters launched it into the air, and its side thrusters spun it through the flip.

Design Inspired by the SR-71 and F-35 Jets

The new Roadster trades the rounded 2017 prototype for a low, wedge-shaped body. Tesla says it drew from the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane and F-35 fighter jet. It gets hidden headlights, a full-length taillight, and flush aero.

Its Ano White paint is based on coatings that protect rockets, and the tinted windows mimic the gold visor of a spacesuit. The doors open upward, and an exposed rear diffuser houses the suction fans and thrusters.

Track Mode With Near-F1 Downforce

Track Mode lowers the car and switches it into a High-Downforce or Low-Drag setup. Panels on the fenders and hood open for more airflow, and an active rear wing deploys for grip and stows for speed.

Tesla says the aero package delivers downforce approaching Formula 1 levels, with the wing moved by actuators from Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot.

Driver-Focused Interior

Tesla’s Ultrawhite interior gets gray microsuede detailing, including microsuede seat bolsters for added grip. A yoke designed for steer-by-wire sits in front of a center touchscreen and two smaller forward displays for critical driving info.

Manual controls, a fixed seat position, and magnesium, titanium, and carbon fiber throughout help cut weight. Tesla says its next-gen steer-by-wire system still gives the driver strong feedback across different road conditions.

Tesla Roadster Trims, Including One That Flies

The Roadster comes in three trims called Performance, Thrust and Rocket, and only the Rocket can fly. Performance is the road-ready base two-seater, using fan suction for extra grip and hitting 0-60 in under 1.6 seconds. The limited-release, race-ready Thrust also seats two and adds four rear cold-gas thrusters for acceleration, cutting 0-60 to under 0.9 seconds.

Rocket is the invite-only, air-ready trim and seats only the driver. Its 10 thrusters around the car let it lift off and maneuver in the air, and it hits 60 mph in under 0.59 seconds. Tesla says it is not approved for public road use. However, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X that his state will make sure it’s legal, joking it could leapfrog golf carts in The Villages retirement community.

$50,000 to Reserve, $250,000 for Thrust, Rocket Invite-Only

Both reservations start with $5,000 upfront, with the rest due within 10 days. The payments hold a spot in line rather than buy the car, and Tesla says they’re fully refundable until the buyer configures their Roadster. Elon Musk says production starts in 2028. Tesla quoted a $200,000 base price for the Roadster back in 2017.