Tesla Unveils New Roadster with Cold-Gas Thrusters

Tesla has unveiled a new-generation Roadster equipped with a multi-mode suction system and SpaceX-derived cold-gas thrusters. Elon Musk said production will begin in 2028, and Tesla has set a $250,000 reservation requirement for the version fitted with the advanced propulsion package.

Unveiling and demonstration at the SpaceX test site

Tesla staged the reveal at a SpaceX test facility in Texas and demonstrated dramatic maneuvers on a curved ramp. In the sequence shown, the Roadster drove up the ramp, came to a stop while inverted, jumped off the ramp, rotated in midair and used its thrusters to land. In a separate part of the presentation the car cleared several parked Tesla vehicles. Tesla said the movements were preprogrammed demonstrations and do not indicate autonomous capability in real-world driving.

The company placed an Optimus humanoid robot in the driver's seat during the event; Tesla described that appearance as part of the presentation.

Suction system and cold-gas thrusters

Tesla says the new Roadster uses a multi-mode suction system that evacuates air from beneath the body with fans and a sealed underbody to create a suction force. According to the company, that system lets the car adhere to a surface even when inverted and at rest.

For jumps, landings and attitude control the Roadster uses rear-mounted thrusters and dedicated attitude-control thrusters developed with SpaceX technology. Tesla described these as cold-gas thrusters that operate on compressed air. The company also said the thrusters use all-electric actuators and can modulate thrust precisely to enable very fast motion corrections.

Trims, reservations, specifications and timeline

• Performance: two-seat, road-focused model with multi-mode suction and active aerodynamics. Reservation requires an initial $5,000 deposit plus an additional $45,000 payment within 10 days, for a total initial reservation of $50,000.
• Thrust: two-seat track-oriented model equipped with rear cold-gas thrusters that Tesla says can accelerate the car from rest to about 97 km/h in less than one second. Tesla says customers must pay $250,000 in total to reserve this version; Tesla added that this amount includes a $5,000 initial deposit and a $45,000 base payment, plus $245,000 additional for the Thrust package.
• Rocket: single-seat, highest-spec model fitted with 10 cold-gas thrusters located around the body and described by Tesla as a full flight-capable version. Purchase is by invitation only.

Tesla states the driving range for all three versions is 483 km. Tesla also said the Rocket model will have a maximum speed of about 370 km/h. Elon Musk said production of the new Roadster will begin in 2028, but the vehicle has not entered production yet and that timeline remains a company commitment rather than a completed milestone.

Tesla first revealed a second-generation Roadster in November 2017 and originally promised customer deliveries in 2020; the program has since been delayed repeatedly. Musk mentioned the potential use of small rocket engines for the car in 2018. Tesla postponed timelines across 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, and the public unveiling originally scheduled for October 1, 2026 was moved to October 15 because of a forecast of adverse weather.