Nine years after presenting the concept, Tesla has brought the production version of the Roadster to the stage—an electric car that, according to the company, is capable of not just accelerating, but changing spatial orientation and performing controlled jumps. The presentation took place in a dark hall with an emphasis on the body's light lines: the car drove onto a C-shaped ramp, stopped parallel to the ground, then jumped off the top of the structure, hovered in the air, and made a soft landing. All these maneuvers were demonstrated as features built into the production car rather than a one-off prototype trick.
Robot at the Wheel: How the Stunt Was Executed
A humanoid robot, Optimus, was in the driver's seat during the stunt, but according to the presentation description, all maneuvers were performed in a fully automated, programmed mode. This means the car was not driven "manually" by either a human or a robot in real-time: the stunt was a pre-rehearsed scenario showing that the stabilization and traction systems are capable of holding the vehicle in a given position and correcting its trajectory without operator intervention.
Vacuum "Suction Cup" Under the Floor
The ability to move upside down is provided, according to the company, by a system of fans and grounding that evacuates air from beneath the car's floor. This creates a powerful downforce that holds the electric car "upside down" even when stationary. Engineers describe this design as the equivalent of a suction cup under the bottom: it is what allows the vehicle not to flip or fall when the center of mass is shifted toward the sky.
SpaceX Cold Gas Thrusters
Maneuvering cold gas thrusters with electric actuators handle soft landings and jumps; Tesla claims they make micro-corrections in fractions of a second. These elements are borrowed from SpaceX and integrated into the production Roadster's design, turning the electric car into a platform capable of controlled "hovering" and precise landing after a ramp jump.
Production and Pre-orders
The launch of serial production for the updated Tesla Roadster is scheduled for 2028. Reservations are already open: a basic order requires a $5,000 deposit, plus an additional $45,000 within the first 10 days. Thus, the company is locking in buyer interest ahead of actual assembly and deliveries.
Pricing and Option Packages
Importantly, the innovative stabilization and acceleration systems are not included in the base package. The "Thrust" package includes the ground-clinging vacuum system and acceleration cold gas thrusters, costing an additional $245,000 USD. The "Rocket" version features a full flight system and will be available exclusively by special invitation from the company, making it essentially a limited offer for a narrow circle of buyers.
