The short answer
Tesla revealed the new Roadster in a livestream on October 15, 2026. It comes in three trims. Tesla claims 0 to 60 mph in under 1.6 seconds for the Performance, under 0.9 seconds for the Thrust and under 0.59 seconds for the Rocket. The first two seat two people and the Rocket seats one. Every figure is a Tesla claim, and no independent test exists yet. No price or delivery date has been announced, and the reservation is $50,000.
The Roadster Tesla first showed in 2017 was promised with four seats and 620 miles of range. The car Tesla showed this week has two seats at most, thrusters on two of its three trims, and a demo in which it flipped through the air.
This page keeps two things apart: what Tesla showed and what Tesla claims. Nobody outside Tesla has tested the car yet.
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The three trims
Tesla showed three versions of the car. They differ in seats, in where the speed comes from and in who can buy one.
| Trim | Seats | 0 to 60 mph | Thrusters | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | 2 | Under 1.6 seconds | None listed; active aero | By reservation, road ready |
| Thrust | 2 | Under 0.9 seconds | Rear cold-gas thrusters | Limited release |
| Rocket | 1 | Under 0.59 seconds | Perimeter thrusters for forward and upward acceleration and lateral rotation | Invite only, not in all regions |
Tesla claims a range of over 300 miles, and a top speed of over 230 mph for the Rocket. It says the thrusters produce "four to five times the force the tires can handle", and that downforce in Track Mode is "approaching F1 levels".
Then there is the flip. Tesla's description of the car includes the line "So…yes, it can fly." In the demo, Teslarati reports, the car drove up a curved ramp until it was upside down, flew off, flipped and landed. Electrek describes it flipping through the air.
What changed since 2017
Tesla first showed a Roadster in 2017. Electrek lists what was promised then, and every headline number has come down.
| Spec | Promised in 2017 | Claimed in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Range | 620 miles | Over 300 miles |
| Top speed | Over 250 mph | Over 230 mph (Rocket) |
| Seats | Four, in a 2+2 layout | Two at most; the Rocket has one |
The row that changes most for a passenger is the last one. The 2017 car promised back seats, and the new one has none.
Claimed versus measured
Every performance figure on this page comes from Tesla. No independent test of the new Roadster has been published, so nobody outside Tesla has timed a run yet.
A 0 to 60 time is also hard to feel. To give the claims a sense of scale, we worked out the average acceleration each one implies, using 60 mph as 26.82 meters per second and 1 g as 9.81 meters per second squared.
- Performance, under 1.6 secondsat least about 1.7 g
- Thrust, under 0.9 secondsat least about 3 g
- Rocket, under 0.59 secondsat least about 4.6 g
Average over the run, worked out from the claimed time; Tesla has not published g figures.
"At least", because Tesla says under each time rather than exactly it. "Average", because a launch does not pull evenly, so parts of a run pull harder than the figure.
Price, reservation and timing
No price has been announced. The reservation is $50,000. Electrek reports that $5,000 is due at once, which Tesla calls fully refundable, and the balance within 10 days.
There is no delivery date either. Electrek reports Musk saying "2028, actually." Until Tesla puts a date in writing, any delivery timeline is unconfirmed.
Road use
Tesla calls the Performance trim road ready. Electrek reports that Tesla's Roadster page says the Rocket is not approved for public roads.
Whichever trim it is, a launch run belongs on a closed course. On a public road, nobody else agreed to the test.
If you will be the passenger
A two-seat Roadster has one passenger, and that passenger sits beside the driver with the windshield ahead. In any Tesla, our Tesla guide rates that seat, with eyes on the horizon, as the most settled spot.
What the seat cannot soften is the launch. A hard pull you did not trigger, with no engine note to warn you, is the kind of motion that gets to a sensitive passenger. We go through launches, braking, cornering and the flip in our Roadster passenger guide, and compare the five-seat alternative in Tesla Roadster vs Model S Plaid.
For the passenger seat
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Frequently asked questions
When was the new Tesla Roadster revealed?
Tesla revealed the new Roadster in a livestream on October 15, 2026. It showed three trims: Performance, Thrust and Rocket.
How fast is the new Tesla Roadster?
Tesla claims 0 to 60 mph in under 1.6 seconds for the Performance trim, under 0.9 seconds for the Thrust and under 0.59 seconds for the Rocket, which also has a claimed top speed of over 230 mph. These are Tesla's claims, and no independent test has been published yet.
How many seats does the new Tesla Roadster have?
Two in the Performance and Thrust trims, and one in the Rocket. The Roadster Tesla showed in 2017 was promised with four seats in a 2+2 layout.
When does the new Tesla Roadster ship?
Tesla has not given a delivery date. Electrek reports Musk saying "2028, actually." No price has been announced either. The reservation is $50,000, with $5,000 due at once, which Tesla calls fully refundable.
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Your next question, probably
Will the Roadster make its passenger sick?
Launches, braking, cornering and the flip
If that is not your question:
About this article
- Electrek: Tesla's new Roadster reveal (October 15, 2026)
- Teslarati: Tesla Roadster specs and configurations
- Dizzout: why Teslas make passengers carsick, and the settings that soften it
Roadster figures are Tesla's claims, as reported by the sources above, and may change before the car ships. Launch runs belong on a closed course. Tesla, Roadster and Model S are trademarks of Tesla, Inc. Dizzout is not affiliated with Tesla.