Tesla Roadster Hits 0-60 in Under One Second and Can Literally Fly
Almost nine years on from the original prototype's debut, Tesla has finally revealed its next-generation Roadster, and the headline figures are as extreme as the prolonged wait suggested. The company says the electric supercar will accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 1.0 second, generate as much as 2 g of cornering grip from a fan system beneath the car, and deploy thrusters sourced from SpaceX. Production is slated for 2028.
Tesla Roadster: All the Details
The most unconventional feature sits underneath the vehicle. Tesla has developed a fan suction system that actively pulls the Roadster toward the pavement, generating enough downforce for up to 2 g of cornering force. Tesla says the car can corner aggressively enough to look like it is breaking physics, and it is targeting track records with the setup.
Elon Musk set the ambition plainly. "It's gonna crush every track record that has ever existed," he said. According to Tesla, the Roadster is being developed to exceed what today's sports cars can achieve, and the company has gone as far as claiming the car can literally fly.
The Roadster will also occupy a unique position in Tesla's lineup as the automaker pushes the rest of its range toward autonomous driving. Musk confirmed the car will stay under the driver's control. "This will actually be long-term the only manually driven car that Tesla makes," he said.
"So if it's going to be the only manually driven car, let's take it to the limits and beyond the limits," Musk said.
The reveal follows the debut of the original Roadster prototype nearly nine years ago. Tesla says the car goes into production in 2028.
Tesla has now put specific numbers and a build date on record for the sub-one-second sprint, the fan-generated grip, and the SpaceX thrusters.
