A next-generation sports car incorporating SpaceX aerospace technology redefines how cars move
After a wait of about nine years since its first unveiling in 2017, Tesla has presented its next-generation electric sports car, the Roadster, in a new attempt to blur the line between automotive and aerospace technology.
At an unveiling held on October 15 local time at a SpaceX test facility in Texas, the car drove along an upside-down track and used high-pressure gas thrusters to leap over five vehicles, including a large truck.
Developed jointly with SpaceX engineers, the new Roadster demonstrates Tesla’s technological ambition to go beyond the acceleration of conventional electric sports cars and expand the ways a car itself can move.
The car that launched Tesla
The car that launched Tesla
The Roadster holds a special place in the brand’s history as Tesla’s first production car.
Launched in 2008, the first-generation Roadster showed that an electric car could deliver high performance and the driving experience of a sports car. It became the starting point for Tesla’s growth into a global electric-vehicle manufacturer.
In 2018, CEO Elon Musk sent his first-generation Roadster into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, underscoring the model’s significance as more than just a car.
Unveiled in 2017, the second-generation Roadster was initially targeted for production in 2020, but its development and launch were repeatedly delayed. At this event, it reappeared with a completely changed exterior and new technology.
A design rooted in aerospace technology
The new Roadster’s design draws inspiration from aircraft including the U.S. SR-71 Blackbird supersonic reconnaissance plane and the F-35 fighter jet.
Its low body and straight-lined silhouette were designed with aerodynamic efficiency in mind. Headlights concealed within the body, lighting stretching across the front and slim horizontal taillights at the rear accentuate its futuristic appearance.
The exterior color, “Ano White,” is a paint inspired by protective rocket coatings exposed to extreme conditions, bringing the technological imagery of aerospace into automotive design.
The glass has a golden tint reminiscent of a spacesuit visor, while subtle titanium-colored details give the futuristic silhouette a restrained use of materials.
The minimalist interior combines white and gray microsuede. Seats integrated into the body structure and lightweight materials including magnesium, titanium and carbon fiber are used to minimize the vehicle’s overall weight.
The force that holds the car to the ground—and the force that lifts it into the air
One of the Roadster’s key technologies is the Multi-Mode Suction System, which rapidly expels air from beneath the car to generate powerful downforce.
Conventional sports cars use airflow around the body to generate downforce. The Roadster, by contrast, is designed to use electric fans and a ground-sealing system to reduce pressure beneath the car, generating strong grip even at low speeds or while stationary.
The Roadster’s ability to climb a special track that went beyond vertical and turned upside down at the unveiling was a result of this technology. The suction system also helps improve acceleration, braking and cornering on a track.
The technology enabling aerial flight and rapid acceleration, meanwhile, is the Cold-Gas Thruster developed jointly with SpaceX. It sprays highly pressurized gas through nozzles to generate additional thrust.
Unlike a conventional car, which gains propulsion through friction between its tires and the road, the gas thrusters apply force directly to the body, enabling movements that do not depend on tire grip.
Gas for the thrusters is stored in carbon-fiber composite pressure vessels and released through nozzles positioned at the rear and around the vehicle to aid acceleration or control the car’s orientation in the air.
0.81-second acceleration and three Roadster variants
Tesla said the Roadster reached 60 mph (about 97 km/h) from a standstill in 0.81 seconds during the demonstration. It listed the new model’s range at more than 300 miles (about 483 km) per charge and the top Rocket variant’s maximum speed at over 230 mph (about 370 km/h).
These figures are Tesla’s reported demonstration results and target specifications, however, and should be distinguished from independently tested and verified figures for a production car.
The Roadster comes in three configurations based on intended use and propulsion system: Performance, Thrust and Rocket.
Performance is a two-seat model for ordinary road use, equipped as standard with active aerodynamics and the Multi-Mode Suction System. It targets acceleration from a standstill to 97 km/h in under 1.6 seconds.
Thrust is a racing-oriented model that adds rear-mounted high-pressure gas thrusters to the Performance variant’s aerodynamic systems. Designed to reach 97 km/h from a standstill in under 0.9 seconds, it is expected to be offered in limited numbers.
Rocket is the top-tier, single-seat model. Using gas thrusters positioned around the body, it can leap into the air or rotate. It targets acceleration in under 0.59 seconds and is expected to be offered only to invited customers.
The system for aerial flight has not been approved for use on public roads, however. Whether the feature can be used on actual roads may depend on each country’s regulations and future certification procedures.
Deposits in South Korea reach 355.6 million won; final prices undisclosed
Tesla has begun accepting official reservations for the new Roadster. According to its Korean reservation page, the Performance model requires an initial order payment of 5.6 million won and an additional 65 million won within 10 days, for a total of 70.6 million won.
The Thrust model requires an initial order payment of 5.6 million won plus an additional 350 million won, totaling 355.6 million won. Both models thus require substantial payments at the reservation stage.
These amounts are deposits, not final vehicle prices. Tesla has not yet announced the actual purchase price of either model or a specific delivery date for customers.
Tesla has said it plans to begin mass production of the Roadster in 2028. But given the repeated changes to its production schedule since the initial unveiling, its actual launch date remains to be confirmed.
The next-generation Roadster is an emblematic model that dramatically showcases Tesla’s technological ambitions. The key challenge ahead is how to incorporate the technology demonstrated at the unveiling into production vehicles and deliver it to customers.
