Tesla's flying car demonstration sparks internet memes

Tesla unveiled a new iteration of its long-delayed Roadster sports car that can travel upside down and launch into the air using thrusters. During a livestreamed event, the car climbed a ramp, launched into the air, flipped, and landed on its wheels, a feat Elon Musk attributed to collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX engineers.

The demonstration included a recorded run where the Roadster reached 60 mph in 0.81 seconds. While the legality of such a vehicle on public roads is uncertain, the tech world reacted with a mix of awe and skepticism.

Angel investor Jason Calacanis described the videos as looking like "science fiction." Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, called it an "engineering flex with no commercial value beyond embarrassing traditional car makers" and a signal of Musk's ambition to merge Tesla and SpaceX. Former Meta VR CTO John Carmack politely rejected the flying car concept, citing the "non trivial chance of embarrassing failure."