Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 16: Tesla’s redesigned Roadster has returned to the spotlight with claims of supercar-rilvalling performance and rocket-inspired technology. However, the highest version of the electric sports car will be available only to customers invited by the company. The top-spec Rocket variant features a set of thrusters designed to enable aerial maneuvers.
Unveiled at an event in Texas, the second generation Roadster was shown performing rather dramatic stunts. Those including, an airborne barrel roll and a jump over a semi-truck. Tesla CEO Elon Musk also claimed that the car could accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in just 0.81 seconds. Although, production performance remains unverified.
Tesla’s reservation website lists three variants of the Roadster: Performance, Thrust, and Rocket.
The entry-level Performance model does not feature rocket thrusters, while the Thrust version gets rear-facing acceleration boosters. The range-topping Rocket variant features 10 thrusters and what Tesla describes as a full flight system. It uses compressed gas, with onboard compressors designed to recharge the system.
The performance version requires a USD 50,000 deposit. Meanwhile, the Thrust model carries a USD 250,000 deposit and has limited availability. Like mentioned earlier, the Rocket variant is invite-only and described as a single-seater. Tesla, however, has not explained how customers will be selected or how many units it plans to produce.
Further, All three variants are also said to feature a fan-powered suction system capable of generating up to 2G of downforce. During the reveal, the car demonstrated the system by driving upside down on a ramp.
However, integrating rocket thrusters into a road-legal car could present significant challenges, including questions about operating speeds, noise and safety. Tesla is yet to clarify ow the technology would comply with public-road regulations or whether the demonstrated features would reach production vehicles.
The company says the new Roadster is scheduled to arrive in 2028, nearly a decade after it was first unveiled in 2017. Tesla initially targeted deliveries in 2020 and promised a four-seat electric sports car with a claimed range of around 1,000 km.
The original Roadster, launched in 2008 and discontinued in 2012, was Tesla’s first production electric vehicle and was based on the Lotus Elise platform. The next-generation model is intended to combine extreme acceleration with technology developed alongside SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace company.
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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 16, 2026
