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Tesla's new Roadster "flies" with SpaceX thrusters. What is real and what is hype

· 2 min read · Drafted with AI help, reviewed by Kepler Oates

Elon Musk promised a flying Tesla years ago. On Thursday night, at SpaceX's rocket test site near Waco, Texas, he showed one. Sort of. The new Roadster drove up a ramp that curled over until it hung upside down, launched off, barrel-rolled and landed on its wheels. "Flying cars are real," Musk said, according to CBS News. Here is what it actually does, what it costs, and why you will not see one on your street soon.

How it "flies"

It does not have wings or rotors. It works more like a very big, very controlled jump.

  • Compressed air, not rocket fuel. Ten cold-gas thrusters, the kind SpaceX uses to steer spacecraft, blast air stored in about 600 liters of carbon-fiber pressure tanks packed into "every usable void in the car," Space.com and TechCrunch report. The tanks can be refilled.
  • Suction to stick to the ramp. Fans under the car pull it onto surfaces, which is how it clung to the ramp upside down. Musk says the same system helps it corner at speed.
  • Short hops. It also jumped over six vehicles, including a Cybertruck and a Tesla Semi. Neither Tesla nor the reports gave a height or how long it stayed in the air.
  • A familiar passenger. A mannequin in a SpaceX spacesuit sat at the wheel, a nod to "Starman," who rode the original Roadster into space on a Falcon Heavy rocket in 2018. That car is still orbiting the Sun.
InteractiveThe three RoadstersPick a version to compare.
  • Performance: "Road ready". Seats: Two. Flies?: No. Active aerodynamics and the suction system. Reservation: $50,000, per TechCrunch and Space.com; CBS reported a $5,000 deposit. Range and speed: 300 miles, over 230 mph (Tesla).
  • Thrust: "Race ready". Seats: Two. Flies?: Rear cold-gas thrusters for 0-60 mph in under a second. Reservation: $250,000, per TechCrunch and Space.com. Range and speed: 300 miles, over 230 mph (Tesla).
  • Rocket: "Air ready". Seats: One. Flies?: Yes: 10 cold-gas thrusters, the full flight system. How to get one: Invite only. Road legal?: Tesla's site says it is not approved for public roads.

Sources: TechCrunch, Oct 15; Space.com, Oct 16; CBS News, Oct 16. Tesla's claims; nothing independently tested.

Price and timing

  • No final price yet. Tesla is taking reservations, and reports differ on the amounts: TechCrunch and Space.com list $50,000 for the Performance version and $250,000 for Thrust, while CBS reported a $5,000 deposit for a non-flying Roadster. Check Tesla's own site before you put down money.
  • Production in 2028, Musk says. This car was first announced in 2017 with deliveries promised within a few years, and it has been delayed repeatedly since, TechCrunch notes.
InteractiveThe Roadster's long roadTap a step, or use Next.
  1. Announced Tesla shows the second-generation Roadster and promises deliveries within a few years.
  2. The first Roadster goes to space Musk's own car launches on Falcon Heavy with Starman at the wheel. Musk tweets that thrusters might one day let a Tesla fly.
  3. Delay after delay Musk pushes the date back in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024. Even the October 1 reveal was postponed by weather.
  4. The flying demo At SpaceX's test site near Waco, the car hangs upside down, barrel-rolls and jumps six vehicles.
  5. Planned production Musk's target. Given the history, treat it as a goal, not a date.

Sources: TechCrunch; Space.com.

The catch: can it legally fly?

Nobody is sure yet. The FAA told CBS News the car does not meet its definition of an aircraft, and it was not clear which agency would oversee it. Tesla's website says the flying version is not approved for public road use. Space.com doubts regulators would ever certify it for everyday driving, which makes it a toy for a very small number of very rich people.

Musk was blunt about safety. "This is not necessarily a safety-optimized car, OK?" he said, per Space.com, adding that it "takes the fun meter to 11 out of 10." He also said safety is "not the main goal," TechCrunch reports.

Why Tesla did it

Not for sales. Musk himself said he was "not sure it moves the needle massively" on revenue, and analyst Dan Ives told CBS it will not meaningfully affect volume. It is a brand moment, timed days before Tesla's earnings report on October 21. The real business story for Tesla is still self-driving and robotaxis.

The takeaway

It is a spectacular stunt built on real rocket technology, but it is not the flying car of the movies. If you want to put money into the future, a fun demo is not a plan; a long-term savings habit is.

Not financial advice. This summarizes public reporting.

Sources

Not financial advice. This summarizes public reporting for information only. It is not investment, tax or legal advice. Do your own research or talk to a licensed professional.