Elon Musk's Tesla Flying Car Reveal Met With Mix of Astonishment and Skepticism
Last night, Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled a car that he claims can fly, followed by a short demonstration of its ability to go airborne — and it's hard to think of a Tesla vehicle that's sparked more online reaction since the Cybertruck.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled a vehicle that he claims has the ability to fly, followed by a demonstration showcasing its capability to take to the skies. The event took place outside a Texas SpaceX test facility, where an audience witnessed the unveiling of the car. Musk stated, "We need an audience to prove it's not AI or SI, so you guys can tell people you saw it with your own eyes," emphasizing the importance of human presence in verifying the vehicle's authenticity.
The demonstration began with the car facing a steep ramp, where it employed suction to drive and park upside down before zooming up the ramp, jumping off, and using rockets to right itself and land safely. The car utilizes thrusters from SpaceX in its rear and bottom to essentially fly like a rocket. Musk admitted that this vehicle is not necessarily safety-optimized, which may explain why he claimed it would be the only manually driven car Tesla produces in the long term.
With production slated for 2028, the car has generated significant buzz, with reactions ranging from astonishment to skepticism. Tech influencer MKBHD expressed doubt, questioning the timeline and feasibility of the claim, while NASA administrator Jared Isaacman found the product unveiling both wild and impressive. Notably, Christopher Lloyd, who played flying car driver Doc Brown in the Back to the Future movies, expressed delight at the prospect of finally seeing flying cars.
Written by urgent.news from IGN's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
