Tesla Roadster with Air Jets Demonstrated at SpaceX Facility

Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled a modified Roadster sports car equipped with thrusters and ultra high-pressure air tanks during a livestreamed event at a SpaceX test facility in Texas on October 16, 2026. The demonstration, conducted without a driver for safety reasons, showed the vehicle launching from a steep ramp, performing aerial maneuvers including an inverted hang and flip, and landing on its wheels. The car also leaped over a line of parked Tesla models and accelerated to 60 mph in under one second using rear-mounted air jets.

Musk described the technology as a collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX, combining advancements in electric motors and rocket propulsion. The Roadster uses 10 nozzles and ultra high-pressure air tanks to generate thrust for both aerial movement and ground acceleration. Musk stated that the vehicle's full capabilities remain unproven and that "success is not guaranteed," though he expressed confidence it would function as demonstrated.

Musk also announced that the Roadster will eventually become Tesla's only model designed for manual human driving, as the company shifts its broader lineup toward autonomous vehicles. The car features a floor-mounted fan system claimed to provide up to 2 g of additional cornering force, positioning it as Tesla's highest-performance vehicle. Production is scheduled to begin in 2028.

Engineers and aviation experts have expressed skepticism about the practical viability of flying cars. Roger Conner, curator for vertical flight at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, noted that hybrid air-ground vehicles face inherent design conflicts: aircraft require minimal weight while ground vehicles need structural reinforcement. Conner clarified that sustained flight over meaningful distances remains undemonstrated; the Roadster's maneuvers constitute "hopping" rather than true flight. Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef Aeronautics—a competing eVTOL developer—acknowledged Tesla's capability to achieve brief airtime but highlighted the difficulty of stable vertical-to-forward flight transitions required for practical use.