Tesla’s new Roadster revives the flying-car debate — with a 2028 target
Tesla showed a Roadster prototype with SpaceX-style thrusters and a suction-assisted stunt. It remains a prototype, with production now promised for 2028.
Tesla unveiled a second-generation Roadster prototype on 15 October, demonstrating it driving on an inverted ramp and briefly lifting and turning with rocket-style thrusters. The company says production is planned for 2028; this was a staged prototype demonstration, not evidence that a road-legal flying car is available today. Associated Press reported on the demonstration and its production timeline.
The story is worth watching for more than spectacle: it highlights how electric-vehicle makers are combining high-power propulsion, vehicle control software and experimental hardware. The performance claims remain manufacturer claims until independently measured on a production vehicle.
What to watch next: a production specification, independently verified performance, pricing and delivery dates, and the safety and regulatory approvals needed for the thruster system. Until those details exist, call it an electric sports-car prototype with a dramatic demonstration—not a flying car you can buy.