{
  "id": 15224041,
  "title": "When Teslas Fly",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/when-teslas-fly",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-17T15:21:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mother Jones",
    "slug": "mother-jones",
    "url": "https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/elon-musk-flying-tesla-roadster-faa-regulators-midterms/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Thursday, Tesla unveiled a video of a car soaring into the sky, performing a barrel-roll amongst other vehicles, and then touching down safely. The remarkable feat appeared to be achieved with the assistance of thrusters and a fan system underneath the vehicle. The car in question did not have a human driver, likely due to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's desire to prevent any potential accidents. The exact distance and height the vehicle could reach, as well as its overall safety for operation, remain unclear. Musk stated that production of the flying Tesla Roadster is planned for 2028, and purchases will initially be restricted to an \"invite only\" audience.\n\nHowever, several legal and regulatory issues would need to be tackled if the flying Tesla Roadster were to become available to American consumers. In states like Minnesota and New Hampshire, flying cars are legally registrable, insurable, and drivable. Yet, the legality and regulation of such vehicles in the rest of the United States is yet to be determined. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stated that flying Teslas are not considered aircraft, citing the vehicle does not meet their definition. The Department of Transportation has also expressed uncertainty about its role in regulating the flying cars.\n\nPolicing a flying Tesla presents additional challenges. Traditional police vehicles cannot chase a vehicle that can fly, and the jets typically dispatched to apprehend stray private planes typically cost around $15,000 per hour to operate. In Musk's style, this could simply be a publicity stunt akin to his 2016 claim of sending humans to Mars by 2024.\n\nTesla models have a history of safety concerns, including being 17 times deadlier than the Ford Pinto, known for rusting quickly, locking drivers inside, struggling in snowy conditions, and getting stuck in mud. Despite these issues, Musk remains a major political donor, contributing over $366 million to right-wing candidates so far. As the single largest donor in the current election cycle, he has spent more than $366 million backing right-wing candidates.\n\nMusk, who also owns SpaceX, has secured several federal contracts with the Department of Defense. If Democrats take control of Congress, these contracts could be scrutinized. Additionally, House Republicans have repeatedly blocked efforts to subpoena Musk in connection with an ongoing Democrat-led inquiry into his conduct while working at DOGE. Musk's non-flying Tesla models currently require a $250,000 deposit.",
  "summary": "Tesla released videos on Thursday of a car that launched into the air, barrel-rolled over a lineup of cars and trucks, and landed on its wheels, apparently using thrusters and a fan system on the underside of the vehicle. The car did not have a human driver, reportedly because Musk didn’t want to “kill anyone.” […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Tesla unveils video of flying car performing maneuvers",
    "CEO Elon Musk plans production for 2028, limited to invite-only audience",
    "Legal and regulatory issues, FAA considers vehicles not aircraft"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}