Tesla unveils next generation Roadster sports EV after years of delay

Tesla showcased a redesigned Roadster electric sports car on Thursday, nearly a decade after first unveiling a next-generation version and setting a 2028 production timeline. The two-seater vehicle, co-developed with Tesla CEO Elon Musk's SpaceX, demonstrated an array of high-tech features, including the ability to drive upside down, turn while airborne, and land with built-in thrusters.

The Roadster's performance metrics include a sub-one-second acceleration from zero to 60 mph and a top speed exceeding 230 mph, as per Musk's remarks at a SpaceX facility in Texas. Initially revealed in 2017 with a 2020 production target, the car's significance to Tesla's financials has been downplayed by Musk, who described it as a "small potato situation" during a 2023 interview.

Without a current halo model, Tesla aims to use the Roadster as its showcase vehicle for engineering and technological prowess. Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein expects limited sales of around 2,000 units annually, a far cry from Tesla's 1.6 million vehicle sales last year. The original Roadster from 2008, driven by a Lotus Elise chassis, marked Tesla's debut in the electric vehicle market, although the company has since shifted focus towards AI-driven self-driving systems and robotics.

This year, Tesla halted Model S and X sales to accelerate production of its Optimus humanoid robots and launched the Cybercab, a two-seater robotaxi lacking traditional steering, pedals, and mirrors.