News Lesson B2: Tesla's Roadster Finally Takes Off
Read about the October 2026 Tesla Roadster launch and fill in the gaps.
Nearly nine years after it was first announced, Tesla's second-generation Roadster has finally been unveiled. When Elon Musk first presented the car in 2017, he promised would begin in 2020, but the project was repeatedly . Even the launch event itself was delayed: planned for 1 October, it was pushed back two weeks because of severe weather.
On the night of 15 October 2026, at a site near Waco, Texas, Tesla presented three versions of the car. The "Performance" model uses fans under the car to pull it onto the road for extra grip. The "Thrust" and "Rocket" versions add cold-gas , developed with SpaceX, which push out compressed air like a small spacecraft. Tesla the Rocket can reach 60 mph in under 0.6 seconds, which would make it one of the fastest-accelerating vehicles ever built.
The demonstration was certainly . With no driver inside, the car drove up a curved ramp until it was upside down, flew off, rolled in the air and landed on its wheels. It then hopped over five other Tesla vehicles. "Well, it worked. Flying cars are real," Musk told the excited .
However, many important questions remain . Tesla did not reveal a price for any version, and customers who want to the basic model must pay a $50,000 . Production is not expected to start until 2028. Some journalists were : one argued that using thrusters to set acceleration records was a bit like cheating, while others pointed out that a car that can fly may face serious legal and safety before it is allowed on public roads.
For Tesla's fans, the event was proof that the company can still surprise the world. For its critics, it was another impressive show with no clear release date.
On the night of 15 October 2026, at a site near Waco, Texas, Tesla presented three versions of the car. The "Performance" model uses fans under the car to pull it onto the road for extra grip. The "Thrust" and "Rocket" versions add cold-gas , developed with SpaceX, which push out compressed air like a small spacecraft. Tesla the Rocket can reach 60 mph in under 0.6 seconds, which would make it one of the fastest-accelerating vehicles ever built.
The demonstration was certainly . With no driver inside, the car drove up a curved ramp until it was upside down, flew off, rolled in the air and landed on its wheels. It then hopped over five other Tesla vehicles. "Well, it worked. Flying cars are real," Musk told the excited .
However, many important questions remain . Tesla did not reveal a price for any version, and customers who want to the basic model must pay a $50,000 . Production is not expected to start until 2028. Some journalists were : one argued that using thrusters to set acceleration records was a bit like cheating, while others pointed out that a car that can fly may face serious legal and safety before it is allowed on public roads.
For Tesla's fans, the event was proof that the company can still surprise the world. For its critics, it was another impressive show with no clear release date.