Tesla Roadster Unveiled: 3 Trims, SpaceX Thrusters, Sub-1-Second 0-60 Claim and 2028 Production

Tesla has unveiled its redesigned second-generation Roadster on 15 October 2026, nearly nine years after it first showed the car. It comes in three trims (Performance, Thrust and Rocket), with SpaceX-developed cold-gas thrusters on the top two. Tesla quotes over 300 miles (about 483 km) of range and a top speed above 230 mph (about 370 km/h), and claims 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in under 0.9 seconds for Thrust and under 0.59 seconds for Rocket. There's no price, Elon Musk says production starts in 2028, and reservations begin at $50,000. It doesn't fly like an aircraft. It hops, spins and flips on short bursts of compressed-air thrust.

What Tesla unveiled and where

Tesla held the event on Thursday, 15 October 2026, at a SpaceX test facility near Waco, Texas. It was originally planned for 1 October, but reports say severe rain forced Tesla to push it back by two weeks.

The demo was built for spectacle. The car drove up an inverted ramp using fans, spun around, and eased itself down to a landing. It also used its thrusters to jump over a Cybercab, Cybertruck, Tesla Semi, Model Y and Model 3 while in motion. Musk called it "the best of the last of the human-driven cars".

Tesla displayed a 0.81-second 0-60 mph run at the event, according to reports, while Musk spoke of roughly one second on stage. Neither figure has been independently tested.

The three trims explained

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Tesla published the trim details on X after the livestream. Here's how they stack up.

The key point for buyers: the Performance trim is the road car. Thrust and Rocket are add-on "augments" aimed at track and show use.

Specs: what's confirmed and what's only claimed

Almost every number below comes from Tesla itself, and none has been independently verified yet.

How the thrusters and suction system work

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The thrusters are cold-gas units, so they push the car by releasing compressed gas through nozzles rather than burning rocket fuel. Tesla says the gas is stored in carbon-fibre overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), and that every usable gap in the car is packed with them. More stored gas means more thrust time.

Tesla says making the thrusters work in the atmosphere, rather than in space, needed new hardware and controls. The company also says all-electric actuators make small adjustments to keep the car stable in the air.

The suction system does the opposite job. Fans pull air from under the car to press it onto the road, or onto a ramp. Tesla says it can hold the car upside down even when stationary. In Track Mode, the car lowers itself and deploys active wings driven by the same type of actuators Tesla developed for its Optimus robot.

Design and interior

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The Roadster has moved a long way from its 2017 look. Tesla says the new styling takes cues from the SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft and the F-35 fighter jet, and calls it an evolution from its Cybertruck, Cybercab and Optimus design language. Reports describe hidden headlights, a full-length taillight bar and flush-mounted aero, with a white paint finish said to borrow from rocket coatings.

Inside, you get:

• A yoke designed for steer-by-wire
• A centre touchscreen plus two smaller displays in front of the driver
• A fixed seat position and manual controls to save weight
• Magnesium, titanium and carbon fibre throughout

Price, reservations and the 2028 date

Tesla didn't announce a price for any trim. It did reopen reservations. The Performance reservation is $50,000, split as $5,000 on a card today and $45,000 due within 10 days, and Tesla calls it fully refundable. The Thrust reservation is reported at $250,000, and Rocket is invite only. One report says reservations are open in the US, Canada and China, and none of the reports we reviewed mention India.

Musk's production line was a short one: "2028, actually". That date matters because this program has slipped repeatedly. Tesla first promised deliveries in 2020, and Musk later moved the reveal through 2025 and 2026 before settling on this event.

Then and now: 2017 promise vs 2026 reveal

Acceleration has improved sharply. Range and seating have gone the other way.

Evfy's Take

For Indian readers, the headline-grabbing stunts aren't the story to track. They happen on invite-only and limited trims, and Tesla's own page says Rocket isn't road-approved. The car most people could actually buy is the Performance trim, and that's the one with no price yet.

The money side is worth a thought too. A $50,000 refundable reservation ties up capital for roughly two years before you know the price, and Tesla hasn't named a delivery month. If you're an Indian buyer, there's also no sign of an India plan. Tesla's India entry so far has been the imported Model Y, priced from ₹59.89 lakh ex-showroom because of import duties on fully built cars.

Also Read: Tesla Model Y Launched in India at ₹59.89 Lakh: Specs, Price, Range, and More