The Tesla Roadster is seemingly becoming a unicorn. Even after seven years of its public reveal, the highly promising Roadster supercar seems less likely to become a reality. Even Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, questioned Musk publicly on the status of the Roadster, with him being one of the early customers to pre-book the car. Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, has come up with a rather unusual response to these concerns – by teasing a flying car.
Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Musk addressed the years-long delay of the new Roadster, which was initially announced in 2017 with a 2020 launch target. Musk claimed the company is now ‘getting close’ to demonstrating the prototype before the end of this year. He stated that the unveiling would be “unforgettable—whether it’s good or bad.”
Musk suggested the vehicle is so advanced that it challenges the very definition of an automobile. “It has crazy technology,” he remarked. “Like, is it even a car? I’m not sure. It looks like a car, but it’s crazier than anything James Bond.”
Tesla Roadster 2nd gen has ‘crazy technology’
Musk’s comments have fueled a long-standing speculation that the new Roadster may feature a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) system, essentially allowing the battery-powered vehicle to function as a short-distance flying car. While he skipped specifics, Musk’s hints have reignited the dream of a commercially viable flying vehicle. VTOL cars, or flying cars, have long been an area of interest among a section of the automotive community. Over the past decade, several companies have invested in developing flying taxis with VTOL capability, relying mostly on electric propulsion.
On the other hand, the new Roadster may not be a flying car, but it could employ cool new tactics to redefine the sports car of the upcoming decade.
However, industry watchers caution that Musk’s ambitious timeline must be viewed with skepticism. The billionaire is known for introducing futuristic prototypes years before they reach actual production, a trend seen with past projects like the Hyperloop and the autonomous “Cybercab.” Even his Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel system, once looked upon as high-speed transport, currently operates with human-driven Teslas at relatively modest speeds.
The Cybertruck pickup, however, was the only new car project that Tesla managed to deliver despite a delay. Released in late 2023, the Cybertruck is considered a revolutionary new pickup truck with an exoskeleton chassis and steer-by-wire technology.
