01 · RoadReservations open
Performance
- 0–60 mph
- < 1.6 s
- Top speed
- 210 mph
- Seats
- 2
- Thrusters
- None
- Reservation
- $50,000
- Multi-mode fan and ground-sealing suction system
- Active aero: front wings, rear wing, vent hood
- The road-going Roadster
File 03 Specs · 0–60 · trims
Tesla Roadster specs & performance
The new Roadster trades the 2017 car's 620-mile range for something stranger: fan suction, compressed-air thrusters and a sub-one-second 0–60 claim. Here is every number Tesla gave, and how solid each one is.
0–60 mph on stage0.81sThrusters on, Tesla's timer
Top speed230+mphRocket, claimed by Tesla
Peak power≈1MW≈1,341 hp by conversion
Range300+miTesla's figure, no test cycle given
01 Acceleration
Tesla Roadster 0–60: 0.81 seconds?
Live run · actual speed
In the live run the Roadster hit 60 mph in 0.81 seconds on Tesla's own timer, with its thrusters firing. That would make it the quickest-accelerating production car ever by a wide margin — if production cars match it.
Tesla's per-version claims:
- Performance (no thrusters): under 1.6 s
- Thrust (rear thrusters): under 0.9 s — Tesla executives quoted 0.85 s
- Rocket (ten thrusters): under 0.59 s
Caveats matter here. Earlier in the show Tesla played a recorded thruster run of about one second, and the live attempt followed some timer trouble. Electrek's frame-by-frame look found the thrusters spun up before the car started to move, and Tesla's own clip of the run quotes 0.67 s once rollout is subtracted. Without thrusters, the Performance figure is the one comparable to other road cars.
02 Design
The new Roadster from every side
A clean break from the curvy 2017 prototype: a sharp-edged two-seater that Tesla says was inspired by the SR-71 and F-35, with the aero hardware hidden in the body until Track Mode calls for it. These are frames from Tesla's demo footage.
03 Versions
Performance vs Thrust vs Rocket
Three configurations share the same body, battery and fan system. What changes is how much compressed-gas hardware is bolted in, and how many seats are left. Some outlets also report a cheaper base model, but it is unconfirmed and not offered for reservation.
02 · TrackLimited release
Thrust
- 0–60 mph
- < 0.9 s
- Top speed
- 230+ mph
- Seats
- 2
- Thrusters
- Rear cold-gas
- Reservation
- $250,000
- Everything in Performance
- Rear cold-gas thrusters for launches
- ~200 L compressed-air tank behind the seats
03 · FlightInvite only
Rocket
- 0–60 mph
- < 0.59 s
- Top speed
- 230+ mph
- Seats
- 1
- Thrusters
- 10 cold-gas
- Reservation
- By invitation
- Thrusters at the rear, underside and nose for lift and rotation
- Extra ~400 L tank where the passenger seat would be
- Not approved for public roads
| Spec | Performance | Thrust | Rocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla's description | Road ready | Race ready | Air ready |
| 0–60 mph | Under 1.6 s | Under 0.9 s (0.85 s quoted) | Under 0.59 s |
| Top speed | 210 mph (reported) | 230 mph | 230+ mph |
| Seats | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Fan suction system | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cold-gas thrusters | None | Rear | 10 (rear, underside, nose) |
| Gas tanks | — | ~200 L tank behind the seats | ~600 L (adds a 400 L tank) |
| Road use | Road car | Not stated | Not approved for public road use |
| Availability | By reservation | Limited release | Invite only; not in all regions |
| Reservation | $50,000 | $250,000 | — |
04 Full spec sheet
Power, range, battery and charging
Tesla did not publish a complete spec sheet at the reveal. These figures were shown on stage, given to reporters by Tesla staff, or listed on the reservation page.
| Spec | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Drive | Rear-wheel drive with two motors and torque vectoring | Confirmed |
| Peak power | 1 MW (≈1,341 hp) for battery and drive unit, “one third more power than Model S Plaid,” per a Tesla display; InsideEVs puts the base version at 800+ kW | Claimed |
| Weight | About 3,700 lb (≈1,700 kg target) | Reported |
| Range | 300+ miles per Tesla; InsideEVs reports around 310–320 miles | Claimed |
| Battery | Capacity not disclosed (MotorTrend: “substantially more than 100 kWh”; Not a Tesla App: ~150 kWh, 4680 cells); 800–1,000 V | Unconfirmed |
| Charging | About 10 minutes for 15–80/85% (outlets differ); InsideEVs cites a 500 kW maximum from V4 Superchargers | Claimed |
| Downforce | Multi-mode fan and ground-sealing system, up to 2 g; enough to hold the car upside down even when stationary | Demonstrated |
| Thrusters | Up to 10 cold-gas nozzles; four rear thrusters give a claimed 80 kN; one charge lasts roughly 5–6 seconds, refill takes hours | Reported |
| Active aero | Hidden front wing, rear wing, pop-out barge boards and hood vent, driven by Optimus actuators; Track Mode aero load up to “Max Grip” | Shown |
| Interior | Two seats molded into the chassis, steer-by-wire yoke, center touchscreen plus two smaller forward displays | Shown |
| Production | 2028 in Texas (target) | Claimed |
05 Speed & power
Top speed and one megawatt
Tesla quotes over 230 mph for the Rocket. Electrek puts the Thrust version at 230 mph and Performance at 210 mph, and doubts the thrusters help much at the top end — cold-gas jets are strongest for short bursts, not sustained pushing. Musk wants far more: on stage he said “you've got to crack halfway to the speed of sound,” about 383 mph.
A Tesla display at the event claimed 1 MW for the battery and drive unit together — “one third more power than Model S Plaid — with half the mass.” That converts to about 1,341 hp. InsideEVs reports the base version at over 800 kW, so the full megawatt may be reserved for the faster versions.
Surprisingly, every version is rear-wheel drive, with two rear motors doing torque vectoring — a notable change from the three-motor all-wheel drive promised in 2017.
06 Promise vs reality
2017 Roadster promise vs 2026 reveal
Acceleration got dramatically better. Range, top speed and the back seats did not survive.
| Spec | 2017 promise | 2026 reveal |
|---|---|---|
| 0–60 mph | 1.9 s | 0.81 s on stage (thrusters on) |
| Top speed | 250+ mph | 230+ mph |
| Range | 620 miles | 300+ miles |
| Battery | 200 kWh | Not disclosed |
| Drive | Three motors, AWD | Two motors, rear-wheel drive |
| Seats | 2+2 | 2 (Rocket: 1) |
| Flight hardware | “SpaceX package” idea (2018) | Up to 10 cold-gas thrusters |
| Base price | $200,000 | Not announced |
| Production | 2020 | 2028 (target) |
More on the delays in the Roadster timeline, and on what it will cost on the price page.
07 Quick answers
Specs FAQ
What is the Tesla Roadster's 0–60 time?
In the live run the car hit 60 mph in 0.81 seconds on Tesla's own timer, with thrusters firing; Tesla's own clip of it quotes 0.67 seconds with rollout subtracted. Tesla's claims by version are under 1.6 seconds for Performance, under 0.9 seconds for Thrust and under 0.59 seconds for Rocket. None of these has been independently tested.
Full specs →What is the Tesla Roadster's top speed?
Tesla quotes over 230 mph for the Rocket version. Electrek reports 230 mph for Thrust and 210 mph for Performance. The 2017 Roadster promised more than 250 mph, though Musk said on stage he wants to “crack halfway to the speed of sound,” about 383 mph.
Speed and power figures →What is the new Tesla Roadster's range?
Tesla quotes more than 300 miles. InsideEVs reports around 310–320 miles on a full charge. The 620-mile figure from 2017 no longer applies.
How many seats does the Roadster have?
Performance and Thrust are two-seaters. Rocket is a single-seater because an extra compressed-air tank takes the passenger's place. The 2017 concept was a 2+2.
How many thrusters does the Roadster have?
Tesla's engineering chief Lars Moravy said the system uses ten thrusters fed by 600 liters of compressed air. Reports describe four at the rear, four pointing down near the wheels for lift and two at the nose firing sideways for yaw control. The Thrust version has rear thrusters only; the full set is on Rocket.
REF Reporting we relied on
Sources
Figures marked as claims come from Tesla's event and reservation pages as reported by these outlets. None have been independently tested yet.
- Not a Tesla AppNew Tesla Roadster specs: battery, range, speed, trims, and more
- Not a Tesla AppTesla Roadster event recap: it flies, flips, and hits 0-60 in 0.81s
- InsideEVsThe Tesla Roadster has 1,341 HP and half the range Elon Musk once promised. Here are the full specs
- ElectrekAre Tesla's claims for its new 'flying' Roadster real, or is it just full of cold gas?
- ElectrekTesla unveils Cyberfied new Roadster that can kickflip
- The DriveTesla Roadster coming in 2028: 0-60 in 0.81s, active aero, and 'attitude control thrusters'
- HagertyNew Tesla Roadster revealed, and it flies
- TeslaratiTesla Roadster: three configs, one can fly, 0-60 in 0.8 seconds
- TeslaratiHow Tesla's Roadster fan system and thrusters are built to dominate the corners
- MotorTrend (via Yahoo Autos)2028 Tesla Roadster first look: everything to know about Tesla's new supercar that can actually fly
- Car and DriverRevealed! New Tesla Roadster takes flight with SpaceX thrusters
- TeslaRoadster (official page and reservations)
- Tesla on YouTubeThe 0-60 | Roadster
- TechCrunchTesla unveils the new Roadster
NEXT Continue the dossier
Keep exploring
05 · EngineeringHow it “flies”Fan suction, ten cold-gas thrusters and 600 liters of compressed air.Open file →04 · PriceHow much is the Roadster?Reservation tiers, how the deposit works and the 2017 price history.Open file →02 · Fact checkIs the flying Tesla real?What was shown, what is only claimed and what experts say.Open file →