Tesla presented electric Roadster prototype at SpaceX facility

By Marcus Liu - Business Editor Updated October 17, 2026

Tesla unveiled its new electric Roadster at a SpaceX test facility in Texas, demonstrating a prototype that utilizes cold-gas thrusters to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in under one second and briefly lift off the ground. After a decade of promises, delays, and an initial prototype surprise in November 2017 during the debut of the Tesla Semi, the vehicle’s capabilities contrast starkly with traditional sports cars, raising questions among industry observers regarding its viability on public roads and its departure from previous performance metrics.

Texas Demonstration Highlights Cold-Gas Thruster Technology

Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk presented the two-seat Roadster at the SpaceX test facility in Texas. The demonstration took place on October 15, drawing attention to the company and highlighting Tesla’s efforts to be perceived as a technologically advanced company that is expanding its development activities. The vehicle had no real driver during the demonstration, which Musk explained was to make sure we don’t kill anybody. The demonstration featured the vehicle accelerating down a ramp, driving upside down, separating from the surface, turning in the air, and landing on its four wheels using reverse air jets. According to measurements provided by Tesla, the vehicle reaches 0 to 97 km/h in 0.81 seconds utilizing its jet system, which relies on ten compressed-gas nozzles capable of creating thrust in multiple directions. Musk also told attendees, Success is not guaranteed. I’m serious. It will probably work, but if it doesn’t, we are a safe distance away, and added, We need an audience to prove that this is not AI or special effects. So you guys can tell people that you saw it with your own eyes, because what you see with your own eyes, you won’t believe it.

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— https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2110923689797808453

The vehicle also features a vacuum-suction system that uses powerful fans to increase downforce against the road even when stationary, achieving a top speed exceeding 370 km/h and a driving range of over 480 kilometers per charge, as detailed by Investor.bg. Musk noted during the live stream that the vehicle is the result of collaboration between an automotive company and a rocket company, with production scheduled to begin in 2028.

Diverging Specifications and Production Timelines

The newly presented Roadster differs significantly from the prototype Musk first introduced in November 2017 during the debut of the Tesla Semi, Forbes Bulgaria reported. At the initial unveiling, Tesla promised a vehicle capable of accelerating from 0 to 97 km/h in 1.9 seconds, a top speed exceeding 400 km/h, and a battery range approaching 1,000 kilometers, with deliveries originally slated for 2020.

While the 2017 prototype promised more than double the range announced at the Texas demonstration, the new version trades long-distance battery capacity for aerospace-derived thruster technology. Tesla plans to offer multiple variants of the vehicle, including a baseline Performance version with increased traction, a Thrust version equipped with additional acceleration jets, and a Rocket version designed as a single-seat car featuring a short-hop flight system that is not approved for public roads, according to Forbes Bulgaria.

Engineering Obstacles Facing Flying Road Vehicles

Aviation experts have raised concerns over the fundamental challenges of combining road-legal automobile requirements with flight capabilities. Connor stated that Inevitably, something that is a hybrid of the two will be both a poorly functioning aircraft and a poorly functioning vehicle, and quite expensive as well.

Furthermore, during the Texas demonstration, the vehicle did not perform long-distance flight, executing instead short hops and jumps over parked cars rather than sustained travel.