The Tesla Roadster 2 is here — and it flies

The automaker unveiled its next luxury sports car at an event in Texas. It has propellants on it that can send it into the air.

On Thursday night, Tesla and CEO Elon Musk unveiled the company's latest self-driving car. The Roadster 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the automaker's first electric car, the Roadster.

At a demonstration event in McGregor, Texas — at SpaceX's rocket development and testing center — the new car did what Musk had long promised: take off on a puff of steam. At one point, the car overturned all of the automaker's lines and hovered several feet above its electric semi-truck. Tesla executives said the vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in one second.

"It's not necessarily a safety-optimized car," Musk said.

Tesla fans have been waiting for this vehicle for a long time. The Roadster 2 was first introduced in 2017, when Tesla announced that the new sports car would be the fastest production car in the world.

"Flight" technology is activated by four thrusters, said Tesla's head of automotive engineering, Lars Moravi.

Musk says Tesla plans to enter production in 2028. The company initially promised that the Roadster 2 would be launched in 2020. Enthusiasts bid $50,000 on a $200,000 car. (The deposit is worth more than $68,000 in 2026.) Some grew tired of waiting. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman complained at X last year that he was having trouble canceling his reservations. Musk posted that Altman received a refund within 24 hours.

Musk has said that Tesla should no longer be considered a car maker. The company is focused on building self-driving car technology and robots.

The unveiling ceremony is held at a strange time for electric cars. Sales of electric vehicles in the United States have stalled after the Republican-led Congress rejected federal support. Meanwhile, the global energy crisis has boosted sales of electric cars elsewhere. Electric luxury hypercars—the class the Roadster 2 belongs to—are in a tough spot. Several luxury automakers have said that wealthy buyers are now looking for the sound and power of a regular gas-powered car. Lamborghini halted its plans to build an electric car earlier this year.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.