Did you know? Tesla has shown a Roadster that can 'fly', but here's the reality

"Turns out the future does have flying cars," Elon Musk said as he unveiled the new-generation Tesla Roadster on 15 October 2026 (US time). In front of an audience at SpaceX's test site in McGregor, Texas, the two-seat sports car leapt off the ground, hung in the air for a moment, then landed back on its wheels.

So does Tesla really have a flying car now? The short answer: it can "fly" for a few seconds, but it isn't yet a flying car you could drive to work.

What was shown at the launch

According to reports from Dezeen, Euronews and Deseret News, the demonstration included:

• The car racing up a curved ramp, driving upside down, then launching off the end of the ramp and landing safely.
• The car "jumping" over a row of other Tesla vehicles parked in front of it.
• The car lifting off from a standstill.
• Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph (about 96 km/h) in under one second, according to Tesla's claim.

Did you know? No one was inside the car during the flight demo. It followed a pre-programmed sequence, and Musk said this was to avoid injury in case the stunt failed.

How does this car "fly"?

This Roadster has no wings or helicopter rotors. It uses:

• Compressed-air thrusters on the underside and rear of the car. Musk mentioned altitude control thrusters and main thrusters at the rear, fed by ultra high-pressure air tanks.
• A fan suction system that, according to Tesla vice president of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy, can pull up to 2G. This is what lets the car drive upside down on the ramp.

Tesla said the thruster technology was partly "borrowed" from SpaceX, Musk's rocket company. The air tanks can be refilled without fuel.

Design and cabin

The new Roadster is a two-seat coupe with scissor doors and a deployable rear spoiler. According to Dezeen, it was designed by Tesla and SpaceX together, with chief designer Franz von Holzhausen describing an aerospace aesthetic.

Inside, the seats are moulded directly to the chassis. The car also uses steer-by-wire, meaning there's no mechanical link between the steering wheel and the wheels. Musk described the Roadster as the only Tesla that will remain manually driven, unlike the self-driving vehicles the company has planned.

Three versions and pricing

Tesla opened reservations for three Roadster versions. According to Deseret News, the reservation deposits are:

The final price hasn't been announced, and delivery dates aren't guaranteed. Tesla is targeting the start of production in 2028.

What hasn't been proven

Tech Insider summarised several things that still can't be confirmed:

1. Legal approval. Musk himself admitted the legal status of the flying capability on public roads is uncertain. There is no certification from the US aviation authority (FAA) so far.
2. Long-distance flight. The demo only showed a short hop, not sustained flight.
3. Flying mode for buyers. It isn't clear whether ordinary buyers will be able to use this feature.

Electrek's report before the launch also said a limited edition might be sold as a track-only vehicle, not for public roads.

A promise delayed for almost a decade

The second-generation Roadster was first unveiled in 2017, with deliveries promised for 2020. According to Electrek, the delivery target has been moved at least eight times, and early buyers paid deposits of up to USD250,000 for the Founders Series version.

The takeaway

The new Tesla Roadster can indeed lift off and leap through the air, and that's an impressive feat of engineering. For now, though, it's more accurately described as a supercar that can jump with rocket thrusters, not a flying car you can drive through the sky. We'll have to wait until 2028 to see what actually reaches buyers.