Tesla unveils 'flying' Roadster with cold-gas thrusters

The new Roadster has moved far from the curvy, 600-mile EV that was originally promised. TechRadar described it as an angular, space-age speed machine with about 300 miles of range on a single charge and acceleration faster than most human bodies can withstand. The “fly” capability is not sustained flight: large jets of compressed gas force the car airborne, while separate thrusters mounted around the vehicle can spin it—a move Lars Moravy, Tesla’s vice president of engineering, called a “kickflip”—and then land it safely on more jets of rapidly decompressed propellant. The car also uses fan technology similar to that of the McMurtry Spéirling to create downforce, which TechRadar said could produce fast lap times if Tesla pursues that route.

According to TechRadar, all but the “entry-level” Performance model can likely be used only on private roads or specific race circuits. The top Rocket model, with the full cold-gas thruster setup, is available by invitation only, meaning Tesla will decide who can buy it. The report also noted that the Roadster is not a proper roadster because it uses removable T-panels rather than a traditional convertible top.

TechRadar’s central criticism was that the demonstration offered no mention of innovative battery technology, rapid charging, next-generation infotainment or software-defined breakthroughs. The only road-going variant, the Performance model, is a very fast electric performance car with a multi-mode suction system that a rival has already introduced, according to the report. It produces 1,350 hp, compared with 1,140 hp for the Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric, and is arriving almost 10 years after it was originally planned, TechRadar said.

The report placed the event against Tesla’s narrower product lineup. Ignoring the Cybertruck, which now sells in tiny numbers, Tesla offers only the Model 3 and Model Y and has no plans to introduce anything else soon, according to TechRadar. The company appears set on incremental improvements to those vehicles. Meanwhile, TechRadar argued that competitors, mainly from China, are moving the game forward: BYD with a nine-minute Flash Charge, Nio with battery-swap technology and Geely with Level 4 Afari Smart Driving autonomous systems. Tesla once wrote the blueprint for EV ownership with its Supercharger network and cars that were easy to live with, the report said; now it is promoting humanoid robots and other science-fiction stunts while its EV business stagnates, TechRadar argued.

The event also fed speculation that it was staged to promote a potential merger between SpaceX and Tesla. Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management told Automotive World: “It was an engineering flex with no commercial value beyond embarrassing traditional car makers. The Roadster event is the latest example of why Elon can’t wait to bring (Tesla) and (SpaceX) together.”

Editor's Summary

Tesla’s Roadster demonstration showed cold-gas thrusters, brief airborne maneuvers and a 300-mile Performance variant, but the road-going model is arriving nearly a decade late. TechRadar and Deepwater’s Gene Munster questioned whether the event advances Tesla’s EV business or mainly promotes a SpaceX merger narrative.