In the words of Christopher Lloyd's Doc Brown, "Where we're going, we don't need roads." We may not have time-traveling cars yet, but Tesla's Roadster flew through the air for a moment during the EV company's unveiling of the futuristic vehicle.
Tesla's new Roadster can produce 1,340 horsepower and has a SpaceX thruster option. Here's what car buyers, auto enthusiasts and fans of the brand need to know about Tesla's incredibly aerodynamic new car.
Can you buy a flying Tesla Roadster?
Unfortunately for auto enthusiasts, the Roadster trim equipped with perimeter nozzles and the ability to perform flips and leaps isn't available to the average driver. It's an invite-only trim that will be extremely exclusive and likely limited to a handful of models.
Tesla's new Roadster will be available
in three trim levels: Roadster Performance, Roadster Thrust, and Roadster Rocket. Roadster Performance requires a $50,000 deposit. Car buyers will need to drop a whopping $250,000 deposit to get behind the wheel of the Roadster Thrust.
Tesla's Roadster Rocket is likely to have a price tag in the high six-figure range. So, the most popular Roadster that drivers will see on American roads and be able to purchase is the Roadster Performance trim. It may not be as extreme as the upper trims, but the Roadster nameplate is designed to provide "next-level performance on and off the track" according to the clean energy and electric vehicle company.
The exciting new EV's base trim is estimated to rocket from 0-60 miles per hour in under 1.6 seconds, which puts it in the upper echelon of the quickest performance vehicles ever made.
How did the Tesla Roadster fly at its unveiling?
The Tesla Roadster was able to perform an airborne stunt (that looked like flying) by using cold-gas thrusters powered by high-pressure compressed air tanks from American aerospace manufacturer SpaceX.
The vehicle used 10 directional nozzles to enable incredible vertical lift.
During the demonstration, the Roadster also drove upside down on a ramp before soaring through the air. This is possible because it features a unique underbody suction fan system for extreme grip and downforce.
Are leaps and upside-down driving practical (or legal) for the average driver? Not in the slightest. However, the demonstration did an excellent job of generating social media hype for the EV.
Tesla'svideo of the Roadster stunt quickly racked up more than 54,000,000 views on X in less than a day.
Why the Tesla Roadster's return is a huge development for the auto industry
The Tesla Roadster was the brand's first car. Unlike the Model 3 or Model Y, it wasn't built for affordability and practicality. The Roadster was created to be a sporty EV that could perform just as well as gas supercars if not better.
It went into production in 2008 and was discontinued in 2012 after a short run. In the years that followed, Tesla became the top electric vehicle automaker in America in terms of sales and production capacity. It also made a huge global impact on international markets.
The return of the Roadster is important because it's a chance for the brand to get back to its roots. The car that started it all for Tesla is coming back and this time it flies.
Charles Singh is an Autos Connect Reporter for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at CSingh@Gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tesla’s new Roadster actually flew. Here’s how it pulled off the stunt
