Elon Musk demonstrated Tesla’s latest vehicle concept, the Roadster 2, at a SpaceX facility in Texas on Thursday. According to Musk, the vehicle represents the world’s first flying car, incorporating technology from his aerospace company to enable flight capabilities. The demonstration showcased the sports car performing various aerial maneuvers, including driving upside down using suction technology, flipping, flying, and landing using thrusters. The vehicle also demonstrated the ability to leap over a line of existing Tesla models and accelerate to 60 miles per hour in under a second.
Musk stated that the Roadster has altitude controls and both rear and main thrusters that allow it to fly like a rocket and perform aerobatic movements. He acknowledged certain limitations of the prototype, noting it may not be legal in all jurisdictions and describing it as not necessarily optimized for safety, though he emphasized its entertainment value. The remote-controlled demonstration was conducted with safety precautions in mind.
The Roadster 2 is scheduled to enter production in 2028, with pricing exceeding $200,000. Tesla’s reservation website indicated different deposit requirements based on variant: a “performance” version requires a £50,000 deposit, while a “thrust” version requires a $250,000 deposit. A one-seater “rocket” variant featuring a full flight system is available only by invitation, with the company noting that flying it is not permitted on public roads.
This announcement represents a shift in Musk’s position on flying vehicles. In 2014, he had expressed skepticism about the viability of flying cars in the future. The Roadster 2 concept was first announced three years before this event, with Musk positioning it as an electric sports car designed to outperform gasoline-powered vehicles.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI