Tesla is taking $250,000 deposits for a Roadster with SpaceX thrusters. The FAA says it isn’t an aircraft
The redesigned sports car flipped midair and leaped over a Cybertruck using SpaceX-developed thrusters. But it won’t enter production until 2028, its promised range has been cut by more than half, and it’s unclear who would regulate its flying features.
Tesla is taking deposits of $50,000 for the standard Roadster and $250,000 for the more advanced Thrust and Rocket versions of the "flying car." The company revealed the newest version of the Roadster, which is built around SpaceX's thruster technology, at a demonstration in Texas. The new Roadster comes in three versions: Performance, Thrust, and Rocket.
While the first two can travel on the ground, the Rocket is the only one with the ability to take to the skies. The Rocket version, in particular, is designed for brief aerial stunts rather than long-distance flights. Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, emphasized that the cars are not yet safe for public use or road travel. The FAA has also stated that the vehicles do not meet their criteria for aircraft, so they are not subject to FAA certification.
Despite these uncertainties, Tesla sees the Roadster as a way to demonstrate their technological capabilities, rather than as a major revenue source.
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