Elon Musk unveils Tesla’s ‘flying’ car

Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled what he described as a "flying" car during a livestreamed event at his SpaceX rocket company's facility in Texas on Thursday. The demonstration featured the Tesla Roadster sports car launching from a steep ramp and landing on its wheels, while being equipped with thrusters. The car, which Musk referred to as "what happens when you have a collaboration with the world's best car company and the world's best rocket company," is equipped with ultra-high-pressure air tanks to propel itself into the air.

While technical and regulatory challenges have prevented the flying car sector from making significant progress, Musk expressed optimism about the vehicle's potential success, stating that it "will probably work." The vehicle is expected to enter production in 2028. The concept of a flying car has existed since American aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss debuted the first prototype in 1917, but recent advancements in electric motors and high-performance batteries have made the idea more feasible.