Tesla revives Roadster with flying prototype, targets 2028 production
Why it matters: Tesla is using the delayed sports car to refresh a thin lineup as EV sales remain its main profit engine.
Tesla showed off a redesigned Roadster in Texas on Oct. 15, using compressed-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX to send a prototype up a ramp, into a controlled flip and over a lineup of Tesla vehicles. The two-seat sports car is the first Roadster update in more than a decade and is central to Tesla’s effort to add a new high-end model after criticism that its product range has gone stale. Tesla said the road-ready version can go from 0 to 60 mph in under one second, but production is not expected until 2028. The single-seat flying version in the invite-only Rocket package will not be approved for public roads.