Key facts
- Tesla unveiled a new iteration of the Roadster sports car.
- The new Roadster demonstrated flight capabilities using thrusters.
- Elon Musk stated, "Flying cars are real."
Tesla unveiled a new iteration of its Roadster sports car during a livestreamed event on Thursday. In a demonstration, the vehicle traveled up a large curved ramp until it was upside down. It then appeared to fly off the ramp, flip, and land safely, utilizing what seemed to be thrusters attached to its underside. Tesla CEO Elon Musk remarked at the event, "Well, it worked. Flying cars are real." The original Roadster was Tesla's first production vehicle, launched in 2008. The second-generation Roadster was first unveiled in November 2017, with Tesla at the time stating it would achieve a 1.9-second zero-to-60-mph time, a top speed above 250 mph, and over 600 miles of range. Musk had previously suggested a SpaceX package for the supercar that could include cold-gas thrusters to enable flight. Tesla began ramping up the Roadster's design cycle in the summer of 2025.