First prototypes of the first-generation Tesla Roadster were officially unveiled in 2006, and the first deliveries happened in 2008. But for the second-generation Tesla Roadster, the story has been bold promises and constant delays, and we’ve just received more of the latter. Most recently, Tesla promised a demonstration of the new electric sports car would take place on April 1, but yesterday, CEO Elon Musk posted on his social media platform X to say, “New Roadster unveil [will] probably [be] in late April.” Using the word “probably” and being non-specific about the exact date means we shouldn’t hold our breath, though anyone who might have done so since his first announcement of the second-gen Roadster in November 2017 would have long succumbed to asphyxiation by now. Do we even care anymore? Does Tesla?
Tesla Roadster Promises Ridiculous Tech, But Goes Against Tesla’s Mission
Musk’s promises about the Roadster have been otherworldly, describing it as having “alien technology” and potentially being “the most memorable product unveil ever,” suggesting using 10 small cold gas thrusters from SpaceX to hover or even fly. He’s promised ridiculous specs that would make a traditional car weep: a tri-motor powertrain with a 200kWh battery good for 620 miles of range, a 0-60 mph time of less than a second, and a top speed north of 250 mph. Putting aside Musk’s fondness for the hyperbolic, all of this being realized would make the Roadster arguably the most interesting and most desirable EV (or even car of any type) ever made, and it would surely make owners want to drive their cars often. But that contradicts Tesla’s mission of creating fully autonomous vehicles—the Cybercab robotaxi was designed to be operated without human intervention, with a steering wheel and pedals supposedly not even necessary.
True.
New Roadster unveil probably in late April. https://t.co/NShZxpK5cI
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 17, 2026
Tesla claims its future autonomous vehicles will be safer than any human driver (today’s Full Self-Driving isn’t what its name suggests, only providing semi-autonomous assistance that the driver must monitor). Yet Musk says the new Roadster is not being built with safety as a priority. Which is it? Is Tesla trying to make roads safer and less congested through autonomous vehicles, or is it trying to create the most exciting and engaging driving experience ever conceived? Either one would require immense focus and loads of resources, and expending plenty of both on a fundamentally pointless passion project that could fly (opening up a whole new can of regulatory worms) seems wasteful. Either way, EVs aren’t the novelty they once were.
Quick Cars and Long-Range EVs Are a Dime a Dozen Now
In 2017, the fastest accelerating production car to 60 mph was the Tesla Model S P100D in Ludicrous Mode, performing the sprint in 2.2 seconds. Now, there are several gas-only, hybrid, and all-electric cars that can do similar times. The Dodge Demon 170, using the correct tires and operating on a prepared surface, does 0-60 in 1.66 seconds. The Chevy Corvette ZR1X, also in ideal conditions, achieves the feat in 1.68 seconds. And the track version of the McMurtry Spéirling can get to 60 from rest in 1.38 seconds, thanks to a fan sucking it to the ground, while the Lucid Air Sapphire can do it in 1.89 seconds on just about any surface.
New Roadster unveil hopefully next month.
It will be a banger next-level. https://t.co/sO0iB63l07
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 17, 2026
In terms of top speed, the Rimac Nevera R can do 268 mph, even more than Musk was targeting. There are countless other examples of blisteringly quick/fast cars worldwide, and with the Lucid Air Grand Touring capable of 512 miles of range (749 in ideal conditions), the Tesla Roadster’s promised 620-mile range wouldn’t be as big a deal anymore. Even a big BMW iX3 can achieve over 620 miles in real-world testing, and the Chevy Silverado EV WT claims nearly 500 miles (493 miles), too. With solid-state battery technology advancing at a rapid rate, it won’t be long before that figure can be doubled.
In summary, even if Tesla finally manages to deliver on all its claims next month, we’ll be mildly amused, not blown away. Sure, a flying/hovering car would be neat, but given that Musk said the Cybertuck would be bulletproof and then had to water down that claim, we expect no more than a jump. And a record-breaking Chinese EV can already do that, too.
Â
