Tesla Unveils Roadster Prototype With Compressed‑Air Thrusters

Overview

• Tesla showed the new Roadster prototype at a SpaceX test facility in McGregor, Texas, on Oct. 15–16 and streamed demonstrations of unmanned thrust‑assisted jumps, flips and inverted driving.
• The vehicle uses high‑pressure air tanks, ten vectoring nozzles, high‑precision valves actuated by Optimus‑derived components and underfloor fans that create ground suction to support temporary lift and upside‑down driving.
• Tesla published company performance claims that include 0–100 km/h in under one second, a top speed near 370 km/h and roughly 483 km range, and it listed three trims—Performance, limited Thrust and invitation‑only Rocket—with production targeted for 2028 and reservations still open.
• All demonstrations were in a controlled test site and often unmanned, the numbers and safety claims are Tesla‑provided and not independently verified, and aviation and road homologation for the propulsion features have not been granted.
• Analysts say the Roadster is meant as a low‑volume prestige product with limited direct financial upside but strong marketing value, and the near‑term path to customers depends on safety testing, regulatory approvals and third‑party performance validation.