Tesla Demonstrates Thruster-Equipped Roadster, Targets 2028 Production
Tesla demonstrated a redesigned Roadster on Oct. 15 at SpaceX’s test facility in McGregor, Texas, performing brief airborne maneuvers with a prototype of the long-delayed electric sports car.
During the event, the vehicle drove upside down along a curved ramp using a fan-powered suction system, launched from the ramp, rotated 180 degrees in midair and landed on its wheels. It later used compressed-air thrusters developed with SpaceX to jump over a row of Tesla vehicles. The demonstration did not establish sustained flight or show how high or far the Roadster could travel through the air.
Tesla outlined three versions: a road-focused Performance model, a Thrust model with rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters, and an invitation-only, single-seat Rocket version equipped with 10 thrusters. Tesla says the Roadster can exceed 230 mph, while its stated range is now more than 300 miles, down from the …