Elon Musk has once again surprised the automotive industry by announcing Tesla's plans to conduct "even crazier" flight demonstrations of the new Roadster. According to the entrepreneur, the sports car will be equipped with a cold gas thruster system developed with the direct participation of SpaceX, allowing the vehicle to make short flights over famous natural landmarks. Musk did not hide the scale of the plan, with the Grand Canyon listed among potential locations for the exhibition flights. The statement came against the background of a previously published video in which the Roadster launches off a ramp, performs mid-air flips, and jumps over parked cars at a SpaceX test facility.
Demonstration in Texas: Flip and Jump from a Curved Ramp
During a recent presentation in Texas, the new Roadster demonstrated a series of maneuvers unavailable to any production car. The sports car flew over an obstacle, completed a full mid-air flip, and then climbed a curved ramp and jumped off it. To execute such stunts, the car uses the gas thruster system rather than traditional electric motors. According to ixbt.com, Musk also announced that a special zone will be equipped at Tesla headquarters for regular demonstrations of the Roadster's capabilities, transforming the company's internal territory into a kind of testing ground for aerodynamic shows.
Mach 0.5: A Speed That Redefines the Automobile
The key technical parameter announced by Musk is the Roadster's maximum speed, capable of exceeding Mach 0.5, which is approximately 612 km/h (380 mph). For comparison, the speed of sound under these conditions is 1,234.8 km/h, while previously claimed Thrust and Rocket versions were capped at 370 km/h (230 mph). Thus, the new Roadster with the SpaceX gas propulsion system is potentially twice as fast as its electric predecessors. At the same presentation, Musk confirmed that acceleration to 60 mph (97 km/h) takes less than one second, and the top speed in standard configuration exceeds 230 mph (370 km/h).
Voice Control and Sports Car "Consciousness"
In addition to aerodynamic ambitions, Musk stated that the new Tesla Roadster electric sports car will be able to independently perform various stunts via voice command. According to the entrepreneur, the vehicle will be endowed with elements of "consciousness" allowing it to interpret the driver's verbal requests and instantly react to them—from starting the engine to initiating a flip or a jump. This means that demonstration flights over natural objects may not just be a one-time show, but a standard operating mode of the car activated by voice.
Context: Where the Tesla Roadster Stands in 2026
The announcement of the Roadster flight demonstrations with SpaceX engines is a logical continuation of Musk's multi-year strategy to blur the lines between automotive and aerospace engineering. Joint development of propulsion systems between Tesla and SpaceX makes it possible to use space-proven gas turbine and rocket engine technologies in ground transport. At the same time, the Roadster itself remains an electric sports car in its basic configuration, with SpaceX gas modules acting as an additional "jet" circuit activated for extreme maneuvers. The publication of the video from the test site and subsequent statements at the presentation in Texas confirm that this is not a concept, but a working prototype that has already passed its first dynamic tests.
