Overview
- Tesla publicly demonstrated the second‑generation Roadster on Oct. 16 with a staged run at a SpaceX test site that included short hops, an inversion stunt and controlled landings.
- The company opened preorders after the event and said it plans to start production in 2028, with different deposit tiers posted on regional websites.
- Tesla described two key systems on the car: a SpaceX‑developed cold‑gas (compressed‑gas) thruster package and an active underbody fan suction system that it says boosts downforce.
- Company claims include up to 2g lateral acceleration in corners and sub‑1‑second 0–97 km/h times for some variants, figures presented by Tesla as performance targets rather than independently verified results.
- Chinese markets pushed up 'flying car' and related stocks after the demo while domestic industry moves continued with MIIT's 412th batch of new model filings and a three‑agency probe into reported brake‑pedal bracket fractures.