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Tesla Roadster
Technical description:
Model: Roadster
Acceleration 0-60 mph: 1.1 seconds
Top Speed: 250 mph
Battery: 200 kWh
Range WLTP: 620 miles
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What's new
The Tesla Roadster is scheduled for an October 1, 2026 evening event in Waco, Texas. Tesla posted a single image on X showing the long-promised car under launch-pad-style lighting, with “10.01” across the bottom and the caption “Go for launch”. The Roadster order page now shows a countdown to the same date, pointing to an 8:30 p.m. Eastern presentation.
Formal invitations followed the teaser and were sent to reservation holders, with digital tickets later shared online. The venue is Waco, roughly 90 miles north of Tesla’s Austin headquarters. That location matters because it sits close to SpaceX’s McGregor rocket test site, previously reported as the intended stage for a demonstration of the car’s cold gas thruster package.
This Roadster has been in public view since November 2017, when it appeared at the end of a Tesla Semi event. At that time Elon Musk promised production by 2020, along with acceleration, speed and range targets that still frame expectations for the car. The schedule has slipped several times since then, including an April 1 demo mentioned at last November’s shareholder meeting, then late April, then “a month or so”, then August and now October.
Specifications and technology
The centerpiece of the October demonstration is expected to be the SpaceX-developed thruster package Musk has been discussing since 2018. Internally, the system is code-named A71, a reference to the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. It reportedly uses cold gas thrusters fed by a composite overwrapped pressure vessel, the same tank design SpaceX flies on Falcon 9 boosters.
The claims attached to the Roadster remain extreme in numerical terms. Musk has said the thruster-equipped version could reach 60 mph in roughly 1.1 seconds under about 2.75 g. The figure nearly doubles the already quoted 1.9-second 0-to-60 mph time for the standard version, while the original promises also included a top speed north of 250 mph, a 620-mile range and a 200 kWh battery.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Battery | 200 kWh |
| Range | 620 miles |
| Top speed | north of 250 mph |
| Standard acceleration | 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds |
| Thruster acceleration | 0-60 mph in roughly 1.1 seconds |
| Acceleration load | about 2.75 g |
The thruster variant is reportedly not intended to be street legal. It has been discussed as a limited production run sold through a track-only program. That distinction matters for reservation holders who placed deposits years ago expecting the car presented in 2017, because the most dramatic hardware may not be part of a road-approved configuration.
Markets, prices and availability
The Waco event is set for Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. RSVPs close at midnight on September 16, guests must be at least 21 years old and invitations are non-transferable. Tesla has not said whether the event will be streamed, so access may depend on the reservation-holder invitations and digital tickets already circulating.
The pricing still being referenced is the structure announced when reservations opened in 2017. The standard Roadster is expected to carry a $200,000 base price, while the Founders Series tier was set at $250,000. Customers placed deposits of $50,000 or $250,000, and after nine years of delays the question is how many of them will receive the car they thought they were buying.
- Event location: Waco, Texas, about 90 miles north of Tesla’s Austin headquarters.
- RSVP deadline: midnight on September 16.
- Guest rules: 21 or older, with non-transferable invitations.
- Base price: $200,000.
- Founders Series: $250,000.
- Reservation deposits: $50,000 or $250,000.
Production is planned for Gigafactory Texas, as confirmed by Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy. Musk is targeting 2027 or 2028, which would put deliveries 12 to 18 months after the demonstration planned for October. For the earliest reservation holders, that timetable would mean more than a decade between deposit and delivery, while inflation has reduced the dollar’s purchasing power by roughly 30 percent since reservations opened.
Verdict
The Roadster now has a firm demonstration date, a Texas venue and a technical focus centered on the SpaceX thruster package. The event may finally show how much of the 2017 promise Tesla can put in front of customers, but production remains targeted for 2027 or 2028 rather than immediately after the debut.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Tesla Roadster premiere?
The Tesla Roadster reveal in the calendar was set for October 1, 2026. The evening event took place in Waco, Texas, with the presentation indicated for 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
When will the Tesla Roadster go on sale in the UK?
Tesla has not announced a UK on-sale date for the Roadster. Production is planned for Gigafactory Texas, with Elon Musk targeting 2027 or 2028.
How much will the Tesla Roadster cost?
Tesla has not announced UK pricing for the Roadster. The referenced reservation pricing is $200,000 for the standard Roadster and $250,000 for the Founders Series; this is not UK pricing and should not be converted.
Should I wait for the Tesla Roadster or buy the current model now?
There is no confirmed predecessor or current model that the Roadster directly replaces, so a proper comparison is not possible yet. What is known is that the Roadster is expected to bring extreme performance, a 200 kWh battery and 620 miles of range, but production is targeted for 2027 or 2028.
What range and performance will the Tesla Roadster have?
The Tesla Roadster is listed with a 200 kWh battery, 620 miles of WLTP range and a 250 mph top speed. The SpaceX cold-gas thruster version is claimed to reach 0–60 mph in roughly 1.1 seconds.
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