‘The Greatest Thing I’ve Ever Seen’; ‘alien technology’: Internet reacts as Musk shows Tesla Roadster flying car demo | Today’s news
Elon Musk’s redesigned Tesla Roadster, developed in collaboration with SpaceX, has caused a stir online after a demonstration showed the electric sports car performing aerial maneuvers using rocket thrusters.
Elon Musk’s latest Tesla Roadster demo has taken the internet by storm, with social media users calling the electric sports car futuristic and describing its aerial stunts as one of the most spectacular product demonstrations they’ve seen.
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Tesla unveiled the redesigned Roadster on Thursday, showing the white two-seater performing a series of dramatic maneuvers, including spinning in the air and leaping over other vehicles. The vehicle, developed in collaboration with Musk’s rocket company SpaceX, features rocket-style thrusters that were demonstrated during the event.
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The two-seater aircraft performed aerial maneuvers, including turning in the air and jumping over other vehicles using rocket thrusters. The demonstration took place under controlled conditions.
The demonstration showed short aerial maneuvers, but Tesla did not demonstrate a practical flight range or routine. The legality and safety of using her aerial features on public roads remains unclear.
Tesla said production is expected to begin in 2028. The company did not specify a delivery date for customers.
Tesla says the Roadster can go from 0 to 60 mph in less than one second, top out at 230 mph, and travel more than 300 miles on a charge.
Tesla has not announced final pricing for the redesigned Roadster. Reported reservation deposits are $50,000 for the Performance version and $250,000 for the Thrust version; these are deposits, not confirmed vehicle prices.
The demonstration drew a range of reactions to the X, with users expressing amazement at the vehicle’s capabilities, while others questioned the practicality of such technology on public roads.
The Internet Reacts to Elon Musk’s Flying Tesla Roadster
One user praised the demonstration, writing: “New Tesla Roadster hijacked. The Jetsons would be proud. The flying/jumping part is obviously impractical on public roads – but the real point is that Tesla and SpaceX actually made it work.”
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Another user shared an excited reaction to the footage, writing: “THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. Elon Musk’s new Tesla Roadster just FLIPPED OVER Tesla Cars. Elon Musk is an alien visiting earth to show us humans some really cool stuff. THIS IS ALIEN TECHNOLOGY. THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO POSSIBLE 𝝕
A third user commented: “Tesla that can FLY? The future of cars is getting wild!”
The demonstration also sparked a discussion about innovation and the role of market incentives. One user wrote: “This is why capitalism matters. Not because every outcome is fair, but because incentives drive people to take risks, build things, and solve problems. Without it, many world-changing innovations never happen. Plus, it’s too cool.”
Another user summed up his reaction in a short post, writing: “Best thing I’ve ever seen”.
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The excitement went beyond online reactions. Tesla fan and investor Sawyer Merritt, who said he witnessed the demonstration in person, posted on X, “That was the craziest product demo I’ve ever seen,” adding, “I just saw it in person and I’m still wondering why it wasn’t AI.”
Tesla Roadster: Production Timeline, Speed and Range
Tesla said production of the redesigned Roadster will begin in 2028, more than a decade after the company first unveiled a prototype of the next-generation electric sports car.
Tesla head of vehicle design Lars Moravy said the Roadster can accelerate from zero to 97 km/h in less than one second and reach a top speed of more than 370 km/h.
“Definitely much faster than that,” Musk said, adding, “I think you have to get to half the speed of sound.”
The vehicle is also expected to offer a range of more than 300 miles (480 km) on a single charge. That’s less than half the range Musk promised in 2017, when Tesla first revealed a prototype of the second-generation Roadster and said deliveries would begin in 2020.
Tesla did not specify a target price for the redesigned model at the latest event. Almost a decade ago, the company quoted a base price of $200,000 per vehicle.
Launched in 2008 and sold until 2012, the original Roadster was Tesla’s first electric car and used the Lotus Elise chassis. The model helped solidify the company’s early experience in electric sports cars before expanding its lineup to include the Model S and Model 3 sedans and the Model X and Model Y SUVs.
