Tesla will unveil its long-delayed Roadster on October 1, chief executive Elon Musk said on Saturday, setting another milestone for the electric sports car. The announcement comes nearly nine years after Tesla first presented the next-generation model and six years after its original delivery target.
Tesla posted “Go for launch” on X, the social media platform Musk also owns, alongside a graphic displaying the date.
Musk then replied: “New Tesla Roadster Unveil 10.01”
The announcement establishes an unveiling date. It does not provide a timetable for production or customer deliveries, leaving those questions open after repeated postponements.
SpaceX thrusters could feature at unveiling
The Information reported in August that Tesla could unveil a redesigned Roadster as early as that month. Its report outlined plans for a possible demonstration involving a limited-edition version with cold-gas thrusters developed alongside SpaceX.
The publication identified SpaceX’s test facility in McGregor, Texas, as the expected demonstration location.
Those details remain reported plans. Musk’s brief announcement did not confirm the venue, demonstration format or which version Tesla would show.
Reuters’ August coverage of The Information report included further details about the proposed demonstration. Tesla could operate the thruster-equipped car remotely because of the noise and force it generates.
The standard Roadster and SpaceX-branded edition would reportedly look similar. However, the report said the thruster version would likely lack approval for public roads. Its price could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, or potentially millions. Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment at that time.
Roadster design has reportedly changed
Tesla first revealed the next-generation Roadster in 2017 and promised deliveries from 2020. The programme subsequently suffered repeated delays.
Its engineering direction has also reportedly changed substantially. Tesla abandoned an alternative design using Model S Plaid components and pursued an entirely new carbon-fibre hypercar, according to the supplied Reuters report.
That would mark a shift from the programme’s earlier approach as a conventional high-performance electric vehicle.
Tesla initially accepted $50,000 deposits for the standard Roadster and $250,000 for the limited Founder’s Series, Reuters reported in August. Those reservation amounts do not establish the redesigned car’s final pricing.
Announcement follows Cybercab rides
The Roadster news follows Tesla’s introduction of Cybercab rides in limited parts of Austin, Texas, last week.
The two-seat vehicle has neither a steering wheel nor pedals. Musk has described the Cybercab as central to his ambition of making Tesla a dominant player in driverless transport.
The two programmes target different uses: high-performance motoring and autonomous passenger services.
For Roadster reservation holders, the October event could offer a first detailed look at how the project has changed. The announcement alone, however, leaves final specifications, pricing and delivery dates unresolved.
