A driverless Tesla Roadster used thrusters to clear a ramp, flip and land during a demonstration at a SpaceX test site in Texas on the night of October 15, 2026 (U.S. time), as Tesla unveiled the redesigned second-generation car it calls a flying car, CNN, CBS News, TechCrunch and Fox Business reported.
What the demonstration showed
Besides the ramp and flip, the car also cleared a row of Tesla vehicles, according to CNN and CBS News. No one was driving it. Elon Musk said the Roadster is equipped with "ultra high-pressure air tanks" to propel itself into the air, CBS News reported.
Fox Business reported that the car hits 60 miles per hour in under a second.
"Closer to hopping," expert says
An aviation expert told CNN the demonstration was closer to hopping than true flight, and whether the car can fly meaningfully while also driving fast on roads remains to be proven. The New York Post reported that owners may need more than a driver's license, as the car is likely to be subject to unusual regulations.
Musk targets 2028 production
Musk said production would start in 2028, CNN and CBS News reported. Pricing has not been settled; Fox Business reported that Tesla's reservation page listed a $50,000 reservation payment for a "Performance" version and a $250,000 payment for a "Thrust" version.
Tesla first showed the Roadster as a concept in November 2017, when production was planned for 2020. In January 2026, the company said it would wind down the Model S and Model X as it shifts toward autonomy and robotics, according to Fox Business.
Images: Tesla livestream via @sam_badawi on X (frames enhanced). Sources: CNN, CBS News, TechCrunch, Fox Business, New York Post.