Overview
- Tesla staged a public demonstration on Friday at SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas test site in which a Roadster performed short airborne stunts including an inverted stop, a leap and an in‑air flip.
- Elon Musk said production is targeted to begin in 2028 and Tesla opened reservations the same day with the China Performance deposit reported at ¥332,000.
- Tesla described the system using SpaceX‑developed cold‑gas propulsion (internal code A71) alongside a multi‑mode underbody fan suction system that the company says increases downforce and enables extreme cornering.
- Musk and Tesla acknowledged uncertainty over whether the Roadster will be legal on public roads across jurisdictions, saying legality will vary by location and that certification and safety rules remain unresolved.
- The unveiling sparked immediate market and industry reaction in China, with related A‑share gains and public comments from rival EV executives who praised the demo but stressed flight certification and safety hurdles.