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The Tesla Roadster flew, drove upside down, and hit 60mph in under a second
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Tesla has demonstrated its next-generation Roadster in Waco, Texas, showing an electric supercar that drove upside down, briefly flew, and accelerated to 60 mph in under a second. The event lasted under 30 minutes and felt more like a stunt show than a product reveal. Elon Musk promised production in 2028, but no price or release date was announced.
The Roadster climbed a multi-story ramp, using downforce to cling to the vertical roadway. At the top, it flipped with cold-gas thrusters and returned gently. A SpaceX-supplied fan suction system underneath generates up to two Gs of suction.
It then flew over Tesla’s lineup, including the Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, Semi, and Cybercab. Engineering VP Lars Moravy called the move a “kick flip.” Musk said attitude-control and rear main thrusters give it rocket-like capabilities, allowing rolls and “crazy gymnastics.”
The car carries two ultra-high-pressure air tanks totaling 600 liters and about 250 kilograms of air. Ten nozzles execute maneuvers, and it can recharge its own tank without specialized chemical propellant. The compressed air supplies thrust for lift and stunts.
Musk called it “the last best driver’s car,” while Moravy cited aerospace designs like the SR-71. The two-seater has seats molded into the chassis, steer-by-wire yoke, brakes, throttle, and a retractable rear wing. The rear houses thrusters and fans around the diffuser.
Tesla claimed a 0-60 mph time of 0.81 seconds, and Musk said production versions should improve. He acknowledged extreme forces and the need to protect occupants. Musk claimed the Roadster “will be an actual car that’s on the roads,” but Tesla later admitted it would not be road legal. FAA and NHTSA approval would be formidable, and production could arrive in 2028—or another decade of missed deadlines could follow.
