Tesla demonstrates airborne Roadster maneuvers, targets production in 2028

Tesla unveiled a redesigned Roadster on October 15 at a SpaceX testing facility in Texas. Elon Musk described the sports car as capable of flight, and the demonstration showed it performing brief airborne maneuvers.

The vehicle used suction to remain against a ramp while upside down, then moved through the air and landed with help from thrusters. It also jumped over parked vehicles. No driver was inside during the demonstration, which Musk said was a safety precaution.

Tesla developed the vehicle with SpaceX, combining an electric sports car with rocket-style propulsion technology. The presentation follows years of delays for the next-generation Roadster, which Tesla first showed in 2017.

Musk said production would begin in 2028. That remains a target, and the demonstration did not establish sustained flight or the ability to travel through the air over long distances.