Overview
- Tesla staged a driverless demonstration at SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas, test site on Friday that showed a new Roadster prototype climb a ramp, drive inverted, execute short lifts and rotate in the air before landing on its wheels.
- The company published specs for three trims — Performance, Thrust and Rocket — and set a public production target of 2028 while saying the full flight-capable option will be limited and subject to approval.
- Tesla says the airborne capability relies on compressed‑gas thrusters developed with SpaceX using carbon‑fiber high‑pressure tanks and multiple nozzles (Tesla described about 10 nozzles) rather than rocket propellants.
- A range of aviation experts cautioned that the display looked like short 'hops' rather than continuous flight and highlighted unresolved problems with added weight, safe transition to forward flight, control dynamics and certification.
- The reveal lands in a fast-moving eVTOL and road‑to‑air design field and could prompt regulators and manufacturers to scrutinize safety, certification paths and how practical passenger use would be if engineering limits are not solved.