Tesla's flying Roadster hops Teslas, woos Altman, awaits FAA 🚀

Tesla demonstrated a Roadster equipped with cold-gas thrusters at a SpaceX test site in Texas on October 15, livestreaming a stunt in which the vehicle drove up an upside-down ramp, launched off the end, flipped in midair and landed on its wheels. Tesla's post on X drew over 10 million views, and Sam Altman wrote on X, "Wow the new roadster looks quite amazing, good job." Tesla listed on-stage figures including a top speed above 230 mph, more than 300 miles of range and a measured 0-60 mph run of 0.81 seconds; the company lists a separate Rocket variant under 0.59 seconds. Lars Moravy, Tesla's vice president of vehicle engineering, said 10 thrusters connect to 600 liters of compressed air and that Tesla borrowed technology from SpaceX to enable the system. Musk told Joe Rogan's podcast in October 2025 that the next Roadster could be capable of flight and was "crazier than all the James Bond cars combined."

Tesla's reservation page lists the two-seat Performance at $50,000 and the two-seat Thrust at $250,000, with $5,000 due up front and the balance within 10 days; the single-seat Rocket, built around a full flight system, has no listed price and is invite only. Musk said production begins in 2028. Tesla's website states the flying version is not approved for public road use, and when asked whether the car is street legal, Musk said it "depends on your street."

No FAA or road-safety approval for the vehicle has been reported. Under U.S. rules, automakers self-certify that vehicles meet federal safety standards, while aircraft require an FAA airworthiness certificate; the FAA says certifying a new aircraft type can take between five and nine years. One closely watched precedent is Alef Aeronautics, whose Model A precursor received an experimental airworthiness certificate from the FAA in June 2023 allowing flight testing. Minnesota's Jetsons law permits residents to own a roadable aircraft but prohibits taking off and landing on public roads.