ELON Musk has unveiled a Tesla Roadster car capable of leaving the ground and performing aerial stunts.
The almost nine years after the second-generation sports car was first announced.
During the stunt, the electric vehicle drove upside down, flipped through the air and jumped over other Teslas using technology developed by ’s .
But not every version of the new Roadster will be capable of taking to the skies – here’s what we know so far.
What is the Tesla Roadster?
The Roadster is Tesla’s high-performance electric .
The original model became Tesla’s first production vehicle when it launched in 2008.
A was unveiled in 2017 and was initially expected to enter production in 2020.
After , has now revealed a substantially redesigned version and plans to offer it in three models:
- Performance: The road-focused version seats two and features active aerodynamics and a multi-mode suction system designed to increase grip. It doesn’t have the rocket thrusters needed to make the car ‘fly’.
- Thrust: A limited, race-focused two-seater that adds rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters for extra acceleration. It is not described by Tesla as flight-capable.
- Rocket: The most extreme model has one seat and Tesla describes it as “flight ready”. It will be invitation-only and is not approved for use on public roads.
Can the Tesla Roadster really fly?
Tesla certainly demonstrated a prototype leaving the ground.
During the launch event in McGregor, on October 15, 2026, the car climbed a curved ramp and used its suction system to remain attached as it travelled upside down.
It then left the ramp, rotated in mid-air using compressed-gas thrusters, and landed on its wheels.
A separate stunt showed the vehicle jumping a row of existing Tesla models, flipping as it cleared them.
Musk said the combination of thrusters used for altitude control and rear propulsion meant the car could effectively “fly like a rocket”.
He told the huge crowd at the launch: “Success is not guaranteed. I mean that.
“It’ll probably work, but if it doesn’t work, we’re at a safe distance.”
After the successful test run, he added: “Well, it worked. Flying cars are real.”
The car can stay in the air due to 10 specialised nozzles and what Musk describes as “ultra high-pressure air tanks”.
But the hasn’t been demonstrated travelling through the air for sustained periods like an aeroplane.
The technology is better described as allowing controlled jumps and aerial manoeuvres.
And crucially, the flight system belongs only to the single-seat Rocket model rather than the Roadster range as a whole.
How fast is the Tesla Roadster?
Speed depends on the chosen version.
Tesla says the road-going Performance model can accelerate from 0-60mph in under 1.6 seconds.
The Thrust version uses rear-mounted thrusters to cut that time to under a second.
And the demonstration prototype went from 0-60mph in just 0.81 seconds.
The company says the new Roadster can reach a top speed of more than 230mph and travel more than 300 miles on a single charge.
Those remain manufacturer claims until production versions undergo independent testing.
When will the Tesla Roadster be released?
Musk says Roadster production is now expected to begin in 2028.
If that happens, it will arrive eight years later than the 2020 target announced for the second-generation model.
Reservations are available for the Performance version, while Tesla describes Thrust as a limited release.
The flight-capable Rocket will only be offered by invitation.
Tesla has not yet announced final prices for the new line-up or confirmed when customers in the will receive their cars.
