Elon Musk is reaffirming his belief that flying cars are coming, doubling down on the claim in a new post on X. As reported by Teslarati, the comment came on August 12, 2026, when Musk responded to a post lamenting the lack of flying vehicles despite advances in artificial intelligence. The Tesla CEO kept his reply short, writing, “You will get flying cars.”
The claim carries extra weight given the long and complicated history of the Tesla Roadster. The supercar has faced repeated delays, and while it was initially expected to debut earlier this year, its unveiling was pushed back to August. There is still no confirmation of when the vehicle will actually arrive, though its potential as a platform for flight-related features remains a major point of interest among Tesla enthusiasts.
The Roadster has previously been teased with a SpaceX-developed package that includes cold gas thrusters mounted at the rear. The thrusters were designed to boost acceleration, and the package also includes thrusters facing the ground that were intended to help the vehicle gain small amounts of altitude to clear obstacles. The feature has not been confirmed for the production model, and Tesla has not laid out a timeline for when, or if, it will be included.
Musk has gone back and forth on flying cars before
Musk’s stance on flying cars has shifted over the years. During a 2017 TED talk, he raised concerns about the practical downsides of the technology, warning that a sky filled with flying vehicles could create noise and safety concerns for people below, comparing the risk to loose parts falling from above. His comments at the time reflected more caution than the confidence in his recent post, a shift that has drawn comparisons online to how public figures often revise their stances, a theme that also surfaced amid a Mark Zuckerberg film role story that circulated widely this week.
Since the TED talk, Musk’s attention has largely shifted toward other major projects, including artificial intelligence, compute infrastructure, and SpaceX’s goal of making life multiplanetary. He also founded the Boring Company to promote tunnels as an alternative to congested roads, an approach he has often framed as safer than airborne transit. Despite the tunnel-focused ventures, Musk has maintained that the two concepts are not mutually exclusive, suggesting flying vehicles and underground transit could eventually coexist.
Musk revisited the topic again during an October appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, referencing a conversation with Peter Thiel about the long-promised arrival of flying cars. Musk said of the idea, “we should be able to buy one,” reinforcing his belief that the technology should eventually be accessible to the public, a sentiment that echoed alongside other tech-adjacent stories drawing attention online this week, including an American’s viral Japan trip that also picked up traction on social media.
Whether the Roadster ultimately incorporates flight-related features or a separate vehicle is used to introduce them remains unclear. The Roadster still needs to enter production before Tesla can confirm any of its advertised capabilities.
Published: Aug 13, 2026 02:30 pm