Tesla Roadster 2.0: Is Elon Musk Really Adding Rockets to the Car?
Tesla is gearing up for the highly anticipated launch event of its Roadster 2.0 on October 15, promising an "out of this world" experience with hints of rocket boosters and advanced design. The event, previously teased with cryptic posts and a video showing a distinctive lightbar, will be livestreamed on Tesla.com.
Tesla is preparing to unveil its long-awaited second-generation Roadster on Thursday, October 15, with speculation mounting over whether the electric sports car will feature rocket propulsion technology. A teaser released on September 12 hinted at a major update to the vehicle, originally scheduled to be revealed on October 1, and included an image that appeared to show rocket boosters at the rear.
The possibility has revived interest in Elon Musk’s earlier suggestions that a SpaceX-inspired package could give the Roadster capabilities beyond conventional electric-car performance. However, the teaser images alone do not confirm that rocket thrusters will be included in the final production model.
Further intrigue followed on September 24, when Tesla Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy presented a nine-second Roadster teaser at the end of a keynote address associated with the Tesla Semi launch. The footage briefly showed a white light bar resembling lighting used on other Tesla vehicles, while the word “Roadster” appeared in a distinctive blue stylised font.
The brief visuals offered few technical details, leaving enthusiasts to speculate about the car’s design and possible propulsion system. Tesla has previously discussed a potential SpaceX package featuring cold-gas thrusters, but the precise capabilities and availability of such a system remain important questions ahead of the unveiling.
The event was postponed from October 1 to Thursday, October 15, after Tesla cited severe weather forecasts and the outdoor nature of the planned demonstration. The company said it had monitored conditions with local meteorologists before deciding to reschedule, with the new event expected to be livestreamed online.
The unveiling is intended to provide further details about a vehicle first introduced as a prototype in 2017 and delayed repeatedly since then. Whether the Roadster will demonstrate rocket-assisted movement, and whether that technology could make it into a production vehicle, remains to be seen.