Tesla has – quite literally – launched the highly anticipated Roadster in a spectacular demonstration event that saw a remote-controlled model, equipped with SpaceX rocket tech, fly over Tesla’s entire electric lineup before landing on the other side.
At the demonstration event in Texas, which was live-streamed globally and hosted by CEO Elon Musk, a white two-door roadster was shown to climb up a looping ramp – using suction technology that prevented it from falling to the ground – before taking off, flipping and landing on the ground using SpaceX thrusters.
It will, however, by another two years before the Roadster 2.0, first unveiled in 2017, will get into production. According to Tesla, it will come in three variants, a base Performance variant, a mid-spec “Thrust” variant and the top-spec Rocket variant, which would be available to those with a special invitation.
The base Performance variant will be a road-ready entry variant that comes with active aerodynamics and a multi-mode suction system or ground-sealing fan setup, with the aim to to maximise downforce on roads and tracks.
It will be able to surge from 0-100 km/h in just over 1.6 seconds, and can be reserved for $US50,000. This version is expected to be priced from $US250,000.
The mid-spec Thrust variant is a more race-ready version, which adds the SpaceX-developed rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters fed by high-pressure air tanks. This variant will get from 0-100 km/h time in around 1 seconds, given it’s 0-60 mph sprint time comes in under 0.9 seconds.
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