Tesla Roadster Flying Car: Elon Musk Unveils Thruster-Powered Sports Car
Elon Musk has unveiled a new Tesla Roadster capable of performing dramatic airborne manoeuvres using technology developed with his aerospace company, SpaceX.
The two-seat electric sports car was demonstrated on Thursday at a SpaceX test facility in McGregor, Texas, where it drove up a steep curved ramp, travelled upside down, launched into the air, flipped and landed on its wheels. It later used its thrusters to jump over a line of Tesla vehicles
The demonstration puts Tesla’s long-delayed Roadster back in the spotlight, while also raising questions about how practical and commercially viable its airborne technology will be.
Tesla Roadster uses SpaceX-inspired technology
The new Roadster uses high-pressure air tanks, 10 nozzles and a combination of fans and thrusters to perform its most unusual manoeuvres.
Tesla engineers said the vehicle uses a suction system underneath the car to help it grip surfaces during the inverted-ramp demonstration, while the thrusters provide the force needed for its airborne movements. Elon Musk Archive
Musk said the Roadster can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than one second, putting its performance firmly in supercar territory. Tesla has also indicated a top speed of more than 230 mph for the Rocket version.
The vehicle was demonstrated without a person inside. Musk said the prototype was operated remotely to reduce the risk of injury if something went wrong.
He also acknowledged that the demonstration was not guaranteed to succeed, telling the audience that the test was being conducted from a safe distance.
Is the Tesla Roadster really a flying car?
That description requires some qualification.
The demonstration showed the Roadster becoming airborne and carrying out short, controlled manoeuvres. However, it did not demonstrate sustained flight comparable to an aircraft.
Experts have questioned whether a vehicle designed to be both roadworthy and capable of flight can overcome the competing demands of weight, safety and aerodynamics.
Roger Connor, curator for vertical flight at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, previously told CNN that conventional cars require features such as crash protection that can add significant weight, while aircraft need to remain extremely lightweight.
He characterised the demonstrated capability as more akin to brief “hopping” than sustained flight.
That distinction is important. The Tesla demonstration shows that the company has developed a vehicle capable of briefly leaving the ground under controlled conditions. It does not establish that consumers will soon be able to use the Roadster as a conventional flying vehicle.
Tesla Roadster production planned for 2028
Tesla says production of the redesigned Roadster is planned for 2028, although the vehicle has already faced years of delays since its next-generation version was first announced.
The company is now presenting the Roadster as a high-performance flagship designed to showcase Tesla’s engineering ambitions.
Tesla has also opened reservations for different versions, including Performance and Thrust variants, while the Rocket version with the full flight system is listed as invitation-only. Tesla says flying the vehicle is not permitted on public roads.
Flying-car technology faces major challenges
Tesla is not alone in exploring vehicles that can leave the ground.
California-based startup Alef is developing an electric vehicle with multiple propellers designed for vertical takeoff. But companies working in the sector face major challenges, including battery weight, flight stability, safety, regulation and the transition between vertical lift and forward movement.
Those challenges mean that getting a vehicle briefly airborne is only one part of developing a practical flying car.
For Tesla, the Roadster demonstration nevertheless represents a significant technology and branding moment. The company is using the vehicle to showcase the potential of combining electric-car engineering with aerospace technology from SpaceX.
The next test will be whether Tesla can turn the dramatic prototype demonstration into a safe, legal and commercially viable vehicle. With production targeted for 2028, the Roadster’s airborne technology remains a promise to be tested rather than an established form of everyday transport.
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