Tesla’s new Roadster flew over the company’s entire fleet at its Texas unveiling, but nobody has said how long or how far it can fly

Tesla has officially unveiled its second-generation Roadster in McGregor, Texas, and during the event, the car lifted itself into the air and flew over the company’s entire fleet of vehicles, including the Tesla Semi. The electric supercar, first announced in 2017, uses thruster technology developed with SpaceX to get off the ground.

As detailed by Mashable, it is still unclear how long and how far the Roadster can actually fly. There is also the question of whether any of its flying features will be road legal, with regulations standing as a likely hurdle.

Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, opened the event by promising to show what comes from “a collaboration between the world’s best car company, and the world’s best rocket company.” In one demo, the car was driven upside down on a ramp, then used thrusters on its bottom and sides to flip itself over mid-air before gently descending to the ground.

The Roadster gets off the ground with compressed air, not fuel

The Roadster has suction fans on its underside that allow it to stick to a surface with a large amount of force, meaning it can stay upside down for a while. That extra downforce also makes the car more nimble in turns, and a retractable rear wing can dynamically adjust downforce at high speeds.

The flight system uses 10 air nozzles that push the car up or sideways with compressed air from a special tank. No special fuel is needed, since the tank only holds air and can be refilled whenever needed. In another demo, the Roadster performed what was called a “kickflip,” lifting itself into the air and flying over the fleet. The stunt gave fans a real look at the feature after Musk teased a flying Roadster.

In a live demo on the pad behind Musk, the car went from 0 to 60 mph in an apparent 0.81 seconds. That would make it significantly quicker than the Rimac Nevera R, currently the quickest production car at 1.66 seconds. Even a Formula 1 car needs around 2.6 seconds for the same sprint.

Musk also said the production car will be even quicker than what was shown. He suggested the limit is not how fast the car can go, but making sure drivers “don’t detach the retina.”

Some of the specs remain unclear. Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy said the Roadster has a top speed of 230 mph, but added that “it can go a lot faster than that.” Musk then said it will reach half the speed of sound, or Mach 0.5, which is roughly 380 mph, and the gap between the two figures has not been explained.

Inside, the Roadster is a two-seater with sporty seats, a yoke wheel, and a large, centrally placed infotainment display. The seats and interior detailing are made from microsuede, and the car is apparently only available in white with an Iconic Ultrawhite interior. Details on battery size and life, along with the full powertrain, have not been shared.

The Performance variant is the one currently available to reserve. It is a two-seater with the active rear wing and multi-mode suction system, and reserving it costs $5,000 upfront, with another $45,000 due within 10 days.

The Thrust variant includes everything in the Performance version plus acceleration thrusters. It is limited to one order per customer and subject to each region’s legal requirements, with $5,000 due upfront and another $245,000 within 10 days.

The Rocket variant, the version that can actually fly, is a one-seater that includes everything in the other two “plus a full flight system.” It is “invite only,” and details on its availability are not explained on Tesla’s website. These amounts only cover reservations, as neither Tesla nor Musk has shared the final price of any variant.

Musk said the Roadster enters production in 2028, though he did not give an exact date. That would come more than a decade after the car was first announced in November 2017.

The reveal also sparked a wave of memes on social media. One user posted a video of a car soaring next to fighter jets, writing, “How I’m gonna feel driving the new Tesla Roadster when Danger Zone starts playing.”

Another user shared a picture of an SUV crashed into highway signs with the caption, “Me on my commute to work tomorrow.” Others called it “Rocket League in real life,” comparing it to the video game in which cars use thrusters to launch into the air and perform flips.