Tesla’s 'flying' Roadster might be radical, but in all the wrong ways to move EVs forwards

After almost a decade of teasing, flip-flopping on design, and generally testing the patience of every single customer that originally placed a deposit, Tesla has taken the wraps off its completely radical and utterly bonkers Roadster .

What started as a reimagining of the car that arguably kicked it all off for Tesla — complete with curvaceous looks , epic real-world performance, and a 600-odd-mile range — has transformed into an angular, space-age speed machine that’s capable of around 300 miles on a single charge, can accelerate faster than most human bodies can withstand, and can “fly” for short periods.

I insist on placing the word “fly” in quote marks simply because the recent live demonstration at SpaceX’s Rocket Test and Development Center in McGregor, Texas, showed the car being flung into the air by cold-gas thrusters before employing yet more SpaceX-derived thrust technology to ensure it came down onto the stage below gently.

Roadster event livestream https://t.co/G0jU4mWfid October 15, 2026 In essence, enormous jets of compressed gas force the vehicle to become airborne, while separate thrusters mounted around the car can make it spin (performing a “kickflip,” as Tesla Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy called it) and then land safely on more jets of rapidly decompressed propellant.

It’s all deeply impressive, and the additional use of McMurtry Spéirling -esque fan technology to create insane levels of downforce will likely contribute to some pretty astonishing lap times if Tesla chooses to go down that route.

But take a deep breath, ignore the hype for a moment, and ask one simple question: why? All but the “entry-level” Performance model can likely only be used on private roads or specific race circuits, while the completely nuts Rocket model, with its full cold-gas thruster setup, is available to purchase by invitation only, meaning Tesla will decide who's able to use it. (Image credit: Tesla) Viewed simply, this is Tesla pushing the boundaries as far as they can be pushed, proving that it is one of the most innovative automotive and technology companies on the planet.

Perhaps in Elon’s mind, it wasn’t good enough for the Roadster badge to be resurrected and placed on an entirely plausible and rather handsome EV.

It had to be a halo car that showcased not just Tesla’s talents, but those of its sister company, SpaceX.

This fits with the views of certain corners of the internet, which believe the entire stunt was set up to promote a potential SpaceX and Tesla merger, further pumping up investor hype.

“It was an engineering flex with no commercial value beyond embarrassing traditional car makers,” Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management told Automotive World .