Tesla presented the “new” Roadster back in 2017, but the car isn’t expected to officially launch until next year. CEO Elon Musk has made some big promises about the car, including that it could break the one-second 0-60 mph time barrier. We’re now hearing more grandiose claims about the car, with Musk saying that it would feature rocket technology thanks to a partnership with his other company, SpaceX.
Musk made the claims in an interview with former CNN personality Don Lemon, saying that a flying Roadster is “not out of the question.” Though the Cybertruck is having weird rust issues, Musk noted it as Tesla’s best vehicle but said the Roadster will outperform it.
“The only way to do something cooler than the Cybertruck is to combine SpaceX and Tesla technology to create something that’s not really a car. It’s going to be really cool. It’s going to have some rocket technology in it.” It’s worth noting that Musk also claimed the Cybertruck may be used as a boat, so this isn’t the first wild claim about a new Tesla model.
Hopeful buyers can reserve the Roadster with a massive $50,000 deposit, but the final price could exceed $200,000 if Musk’s earlier statements hold true. Before buying Twitter, he tweeted that the car would be available with a SpaceX package that adds 10 “small rocket thrusters arranged seamlessly around the car.” So, a flying, rocket-powered EV that is somehow street-legal. Right.
These are wild claims, and while Tesla has managed to deliver on some of Musk’s promises, it has also fallen short in some instances. The Cybertruck did not land with the affordable price tag Musk claimed, and it’s not quite as bulletproof as initially expected. It’s also unclear how Tesla could integrate rockets with a road car and not face immediate lawsuits from YouTube idiots trying to see how quickly it can accelerate.
[Image: Tesla]
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