Tesla Roadster 2 “Flies” in Gravity-Defying Launch Demo

Tesla Roadster 2 made a dramatic return at a launch event in Texas, where the electric sports car prototype appeared to fly, flip in mid-air and land using onboard thrusters.

With considerable showmanship, Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the Roadster 2 nine years after first introducing it. At SpaceX’s Rocket Development and Test Facility in McGregor, Texas, the two-seat EV launched above Tesla’s entire lineup, accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than a second.

The Roadster 2 then drove upside down from a high ramp, flipped in mid-air and landed on the ground. Onboard thrusters were used to cushion its rapid descent.

The demonstration quickly generated attention across social media, although Tesla stock had fallen after the event at the time of publication. Tesla Head of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy explained how the Roadster 2 works. Before the event, we also spoke with auto lifestyle and insurance brand Hagerty about the technology behind Tesla’s new EV prototype.

Tesla Roadster 2 Design and Safety Features

Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla’s chief designer since 2008, created the Roadster 2’s angular exterior. He also directed the design of the Cybertruck, Model S, Model X, Model 3, Model Y and Semi.

As Musk said, Tesla wanted to “make sure we didn’t kill anyone” during the gravity-defying demonstration. The Roadster 2 therefore used blacked-out windows to block the view inside the vehicle. The EV did not have a human driver onboard during the stunt.

Tesla Roadster 2 Powertrain and Battery

The Tesla Roadster 2 will use rear-wheel drive, marking a departure from Tesla’s recent track record with all-wheel-drive EVs. Its two motors produce more than 1 megawatt of power, equivalent to 1,341 horsepower, along with more than 1,400 newton meters of torque.

That gives the Roadster 2 more power and torque than Tesla’s three-motor Plaid model. However, all of that output is delivered through the rear wheels.

Tesla Roadster 2 Weight

According to Moravy, the Roadster 2 weighs “just under 1,700 kilograms,” or less than 2 tons. Despite being larger, it is not much heavier than the original Roadster, which weighed 1,300 kilograms, or 1.4 tons.