Tesla unveiled a new Roadster on Thursday, October 15, that it says can fly. The demo was livestreamed on Tesla’s X account from a SpaceX test facility in Texas. The car drove up a ramp that curled over so the vehicle was upside down, left the end, rolled 180 degrees in the air, and landed on its wheels. Musk said “Flying cars are real,” and described the car as using ultra high-pressure air tanks to get airborne. He said before the test that success wasn’t guaranteed
How it “flies.” It doesn’t use wings or rotors. Gizmodo reports that the Roadster uses cold-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX to briefly lift itself, and a fan-powered suction system held it to the upside-down ramp. Dezeen reports it also lifted off from a standstill, and that Tesla claims 0 to 60 mph in 0.81 seconds. Those performance figures come from Tesla’s own demo.
What’s actually been announced. Musk said the vehicle would go into production in 2028, and no prices were announced. Tesla’s website says the planned flying model isn’t approved for public road use. A $5,000 deposit reserves a non-flying Roadster. A limited-edition Thrust model is promised but can’t be reserved, and the Rocket model with the full flight system will be offered by invitation only.
Regulators and experts are cautious. The FAA told CBS News the vehicle doesn’t meet its definition of an aircraft, it isn’t clear which agency will oversee it, and a senior Transportation Department official expressed skepticism that it will actually take off. An aviation expert told CNN it’s closer to “hopping” than flying. Analyst Dan Ives wrote that the Roadster won’t move Tesla’s volume or revenue, but restores the brand’s halo and shows how Tesla and SpaceX engineering can combine.
A rival answered the same day. Alef Aeronautics released video showing its electric car taking off vertically and flying over several vehicles, including a Tesla Roadster and a Cybertruck, which it called its 1,000th logged flight. Alef uses distributed electric propulsion, and says it received an FAA special airworthiness certificate in 2023. It claims more than 3,600 preorders for its $299,999 Model A, with first deliveries to a limited group of early customers by the end of this year for controlled testing. Alef called the Roadster the “second flying car in history,” a label Gizmodo called generous.
What isn’t established. The sources don’t say how high or how long the Roadster flew, how repeatable the maneuvers are, or how the flight system will be certified. Beyond the livestream and Tesla’s own materials, the demo hasn’t been independently tested, and the flying version has no price or release date.
Bottom line: Tesla showed a real demonstration of a car leaving the ground with thrusters. It did not launch a product you can buy, and the flying model is years away by Tesla’s own timeline. The gap between “flying cars are real” and a certified, road-legal, purchasable vehicle is the actual story.
