Tesla sets October 1 Roadster demo with SpaceX thrusters
Tesla announced an October 1 event to demonstrate the next-generation Roadster, focusing on a SpaceX thruster package that promises extreme acceleration.
Tesla has scheduled a demonstration of its next-generation Roadster for October 1. The event will focus on the SpaceX-developed thruster package that CEO Elon Musk has promoted since 2018.
Tesla teased the date on social media platform X on Saturday, posting an image of the car illuminated as if on a launch pad. A countdown clock on the vehicle's official order page confirms the timing. The company has since sent formal invitations to reservation holders, specifying the event will be in Waco, Texas, about 90 minutes north of Tesla's Austin headquarters. The invitation sets the start for 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, requires RSVPs by September 16, and limits entry to guests aged 21 and over.
The location is notable for its proximity to SpaceX's rocket test site in McGregor, Texas, previously reported as the intended venue for a thruster demonstration. Tesla has not announced if the event will be publicly streamed.
Years of development and delay
This reveal follows nearly a decade of ambitious promises and repeated delays. Musk first unveiled the second-generation Roadster in November 2017, presenting it as a surprise at the end of the Tesla Semi event. Initial specifications promised a 0 to 60 mph time under two seconds, a top speed exceeding 250 mph, and a range of 620 miles from a 200 kWh battery pack, with production slated for 2020.
At a shareholder meeting last November, Musk set an April 1 demonstration date, joking that the choice gave him "deniability" if it slipped again. The demo was subsequently postponed, first to late April, then to "a month or so," and then to August before the current October 1 date was set.
The SpaceX thruster package
The core of the upcoming demonstration is expected to be the SpaceX thruster package, internally code-named A71. The system reportedly uses cold gas thrusters fed by a composite overwrapped pressure vessel, a tank design also used on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
Musk has claimed a thruster-equipped Roadster could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 1.1 seconds, subjecting occupants to roughly 2.75 g of force. This far surpasses the 1.9-second time quoted for the standard version of the car. Reports indicate this high-performance variant will not be street-legal and has been discussed as a limited-run product sold through a track-only program.
Pricing and production plans
The standard Roadster is still expected to carry the original pricing announced in 2017. Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy has confirmed production will occur at Gigafactory Texas.
| Model Variant | Base Price | Reservation Deposit (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Roadster | $200,000 | $50,000 |
| Founders Series | $250,000 | $250,000 |
Musk is targeting a production start in 2027 or 2028, which would be 12 to 18 months after next month's demonstration. The event in Waco represents the latest attempt to translate years of visionary specs into a tangible shows for the long-awaited vehicle.
