Tesla finally showcased its production-intent Roadster on October 15 at SpaceX’s facility in Waco, Texas, nine years after its initial reveal. During a test at the event, the electric vehicle achieved a 0-60 mph time of 0.81 seconds, and CEO Elon Musk announced that production will begin in 2028, according to Yahoo Finance.
From 2017 promises to a thruster stunt
When Musk first showed the car in November 2017, he promised a 200-kilowatt-hour battery pack - roughly the size of the one in GMC’s Hummer EV - up to 620 miles of range, a top speed above 250 mph, and a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, Business Insider reported. Musk later touted an optional SpaceX package featuring cold-gas thrusters designed to let the car hover.
Ahead of the October 15 reveal, teasers hinted at a redesign. A September image featured a full-width rear light bar and hidden text reading “WHERE WE’RE GOING,” while a later clip introduced by Tesla vice president of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy showed a full-width front light bar, autoevolution noted. Electrek suggested the teasers point to an angular Cyber styling. The publication also reported that the thruster demonstration was scaled back to a short hover using a remote-operated, non-street-legal car. Additionally, patent filings point to new aerodynamic tricks, including a fan system that pulls a vacuum under the vehicle and a hidden active rear wing capable of generating up to 700 kg of downforce.
Nine years of slips
The Roadster has faced extensive delays since its original 2020 production target. Electrek counted at least six production slips and seven different unveil dates, with the manufacturing timeline shifting repeatedly before Musk’s latest 2028 target. The reveal event itself was originally scheduled for October 1 but was delayed because stormy weather would have hampered the outdoor hovering demonstration, Yahoo Finance reported.
Reservation holders have waited through the entire process. In 2017, Tesla required a $50,000 deposit for the base model and $250,000 upfront for the Founders Series, leading some buyers, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, to cancel their reservations. Today, new buyers must put down $5,000 followed by a $45,000 wire transfer within 10 days. While Tesla has not confirmed the final price, Yahoo Finance expects it to exceed $250,000, though analyst Pierre Ferragu speculated it could be $75,990 based on the event's 7:55 p.m. start time.
For those who have waited nearly a decade, the expectations are clear.
A production car, a real price, a real start of production, and a straight answer on what happens to the 2017 reservations.
Fred Lambert, Editor, Electrek
A different EV market
The automotive landscape has shifted dramatically since 2017. AutoPacific president Ed Kim told WIRED that the EV market is now a massively different environment, growing from 15 available models in the U.S. to nearly 90 today, according to Cox Automotive. However, WIRED noted that overall EV sales are currently shrinking following policy reversals by the Trump administration.
The hypercar segment has proven especially difficult. The Verge highlighted that competitors like the Rimac Nevera, Pininfarina Battista, and Lotus Evija have all struggled with weak demand, prompting Lamborghini to abandon its pure EV plans for an all-hybrid lineup. Furthermore, Tesla already beat its original 1.9-second acceleration target with the 2021 Model S Plaid. Tesla itself is pivoting; Musk now tells investors to view the firm as a robotics and autonomy company, stating the Roadster will be its last car built for human driving. The Verge reported that Tesla recently halted manufacturing for both the Model S and Model X to free up space for its Optimus humanoid robots.
A limited-run future
Despite Musk's 2028 production claim at the event, WIRED reported that Tesla is slated to start deliveries next year. However, volume may not be the ultimate goal for the new vehicle. The Verge expects the Roadster to be a limited-run car where success is measured by scarcity rather than overall sales volume.
This article was written by AI from reporting by webpronews.com.
