Tesla shows Roadster with cold-gas thrusters

Tesla has presented the new Roadster at a SpaceX test site near Waco, Texas, and publicly demonstrated stunts with cold-gas thrusters for the first time. A prototype drove up a ramp, stayed attached upside down through negative pressure, released itself again and rotated 180 degrees in the air before landing on all four wheels. In another demonstration, the two-seater jumped over parked Tesla models and a Tesla Semi with the help of its thrusters. Tesla also showed acceleration from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 0.81 seconds; Elon Musk said the later production version would deliver even better figures.

Three variants announced

Tesla plans the Roadster in three versions. The Performance version remains a two-seat road sports car with active aerodynamic elements and a multimode suction system intended to press the car more firmly onto the road. The Thrust version adds cold-gas thrusters at the rear to the suction system, is intended as a limited-production two-seater for the racetrack and, according to previous information, is supposed to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in less than one second. The Rocket version is designed as a single-seater with thrusters around the body. Its nozzles are intended to generate thrust forward and upward and to support lateral rotational movements; the sprint to 100 km/h is supposed to take 0.59 seconds. Tesla intends to offer this variant by invitation only. It is not intended for public roads, and in some regions it may not be offered at all.

Cold gas instead of combustion

The thrusters do not use burned fuel, but expel compressed gas at high speed. SpaceX engineers supported Tesla on the hardware and control systems. Carbon-fiber-wrapped pressure vessels store the gas at several points in the vehicle, while electric actuators control the nozzles. Tesla wants to use this not only to improve acceleration, but also to generate additional forces when braking, cornering and during short flight maneuvers. The suction system creates negative pressure under the car and is intended to hold the Roadster to a ceiling even when stationary. Similar concepts are not new: the McMurtry Spéirling has already driven upside down on a ceiling, while the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 uses a rear fan for additional downforce.

Design, data and market launch

Visually, the Roadster is more closely aligned with Tesla's current design language. Features mentioned include hidden headlights, a full-width taillight, flush aerodynamic elements, gold-tinted glass and the Ano White paint finish. Inside, Tesla plans a steer-by-wire steering wheel, a central display and additional displays in front of the driver; in the Rocket version, the second seat is deleted. Final details on top speed, range, battery size and production weight are still missing. Earlier announcements named up to 620 miles (998 kilometers) of range, while more recent reports mention around 300 miles (483 kilometers). Production is announced for 2028. The first prototype of the new generation was shown back in 2017, when production was planned for around 2020. There is still no confirmed final purchase price. For a reservation, Tesla lists 5,000 dollars (4,455 euros) immediately and another 45,000 dollars (40,083 euros) within ten days; a possible surcharge of about 245,000 dollars (around 226,000 euros) is circulating for the Thrust version.