Elon Musk has unveiled a new Tesla car that can fly and accelerate from 0 to 60mph in just 0.81 seconds. The two-seater Roadster was revealed at SpaceX’s Rocket Test and Development Center in Texas, where spectators were treated to a demonstration of its airborne abilities before it blasted through an acceleration run.
Production and performance promises
Musk claims the production version will be even quicker, with manufacturing now pencilled in to begin in 2028, as he promised that it will ‘crush every track record that has ever existed’.
The futuristic vehicle, which is a joint project between Tesla and SpaceX, features compressed-air rocket thrusters rather than conventional rocket fuel. Ten thruster nozzles are also designed to help the Roadster pull off manoeuvres far beyond those of an ordinary car.
Musk’s vision for the rocket car
Musk said: ‘You can corner like it looks like you’re breaking physics because the car sticks to the ground so hard. So, acceleration, cornering, it’s going to crush every track record that has ever existed.’
The rocket-assisted features will be optional and may not be available in every market. Tesla’s UK website also confirms the Roadster will be left-hand drive only.
Musk has admitted the car might not be road-legal everywhere, but insists customers will be able to own one. ‘This will be an actual car that’s on the roads. I’m not sure it’s necessarily legal in all jurisdictions, but there will be such a car that someone can own,’ he said. ‘So, it’s going to be pretty wild that you can have a rocket car.’
Unveiling at SpaceX test site
The unveiling took place at SpaceX’s 4,000-acre test site, where a Raptor rocket-engine test fire helped set the scene before Musk arrived to introduce the vehicle. He described the Roadster as something beyond even the most outlandish cars seen in films, while acknowledging that the demonstrations carried some risk.
‘This is the culmination of incredible work by Tesla and SpaceX engineers working closely together to make something that you haven’t seen in any movie, better than any James Bond car,’ he said. ‘I’ve never seen anything like this.’
Warning the audience, however, he continued: ‘By the way, success is not guaranteed. So, I mean that. It’ll probably work, but if it doesn’t work, we’re at a safe distance.’
Tesla vice-president of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy appeared pleased after the first airborne demonstration. ‘Well, it worked,’ he said. ‘Flying cars are real.’
Musk, however, was keen to see more, suggesting: ‘Yeah. I mean, that was just a little flight. Let’s do a longer flight.’ He then playfully referenced Back to the Future by saying: ‘Where we’re going, you don’t need tyres.’
