Tesla Roadster event set for Thursday night: what to expect
Key takeaways
- Tesla will stream its new Roadster demo live on Thursday, October 15. The stream starts at 7:55 PM Central time.
- The show moved from October 1. Tesla cited severe weather and high winds in Texas.
- Expect a short hover test with rocket thrusters, not a normal road drive, reports say.
Tesla will show its next Roadster live on Thursday night. The event starts at 7:55 PM Central time, or 5:55 AM Friday in Pakistan. The demo will take place outdoors in Texas.
Hypebeast reports that Tesla first showed this car as a prototype in November 2017. Drive Tesla Canada reports that the company then set production for 2020. Hypebeast reports at least six delays since then.
What happened
Hypebeast reports that Tesla planned the new reveal for October 1. The company moved the date to October 15. It announced the change on September 28.
Tesla cited severe weather for the move, according to Hypebeast. Drive Tesla Canada reports that high winds were the cause. Tesla said the show must stay outdoors, according to Hypebeast.
Drive Tesla Canada reports the event will take place at a SpaceX test site. The site sits in McGregor, near Waco, Texas. MotorTrend also places the event at the same Texas site.
Tesla said in an X post that the event will stream live. Drive Tesla Canada reports the stream starts at 7:55 PM Central time. That is 5:55 AM Friday in Pakistan.
Tesla has teased a new front look. Drive Tesla Canada reports a full-width light bar. Hypebeast reports a more angular shape.
Drive Tesla Canada reports Tesla teased the show with a "Go for launch" message. "Go for launch" is a phrase from rocket launches. The phrase fits a show built around rocket parts.
Why it matters
The Roadster has waited years for this moment. Tesla first promised it for 2020. Hypebeast reports production is now set for 2027 or 2028.
Early buyers paid large deposits years ago. Hypebeast reports standard reservations cost $50,000. The Founders Series cost $250,000.
The Founders Series was a limited early batch. Those buyers paid the most. They have waited the longest.
The first claims were bold for 2017. Hypebeast reports a $200,000 price at that time. It also reports a 620-mile range claim.
The 0-60 time was 1.9 seconds, Hypebeast reports. That number means the time to go from a stop to 60 miles per hour.
Drive Tesla Canada also lists a top speed above 250 miles per hour.
The new claims go much further. Hypebeast reports Musk claimed under one second with thrusters. Those are claims, not proven facts.
Cold-gas thrusters are small jets that push out pressurized gas. MotorTrend reports they do not burn fuel. The gas shoots out through small nozzles.
MotorTrend reports the base car may hit 60 miles per hour in under two seconds. Base car means the model without thrusters. With thrusters, MotorTrend reports the car may go quicker still.
MotorTrend reports the car may carry up to 10 small rocket thrusters. Musk shared that number in X posts, according to MotorTrend. The thrusters may help speed, braking, and turns.
Some fans ask if the car can fly. MotorTrend says hover and short hops are more likely. A full flight like a jet is not likely.
A no-fly zone, where planes must stay out, covered the site for the first date. MotorTrend reports it spanned 1.5 nautical miles and reached up to 10,000 feet.
MotorTrend reports no new no-fly zone was found for October 15. That does not prove the demo will stay on the ground.
Rival electric cars have moved fast since 2017. BYD, a Chinese car maker, keeps launching new electric cars. Tesla must now show why the Roadster still stands out.
Charging has also grown since 2017. Tesla opened its largest charging hub in Australia, a sign of that growth. Our guide explains how electric cars lose range in winter.
What happens next
Watch the live stream on Thursday night. Tesla has not shared a stream link in the sources we checked. Check Tesla's X account near the start time.
Hypebeast reports the demo may be a short hover test. It reports the car will run by remote control. It also reports the car is not street-legal.
Do not expect a full road test. Hypebeast reports the plan is a short hover. A road drive would need a street-legal car.
Viewers should watch three things: lift-off, steady hover, and news on price or date. A lift means the car leaves the ground.
Hypebeast also reports a patent for a fan-car system. The fan would create a vacuum under the car. A vacuum means low air pressure that can pull the car down.
MotorTrend reports current pricing has not been released. Buyers will wait for a firm price and date. A firm date means a set day for sales.
Thursday will show if the Roadster can still thrill fans. A clean hover test could rebuild trust. The world will watch what Tesla shows next.
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