TESLA’S NEW ‘FLYING CAR’ UNVEILED – WILL IT BE LEGAL ON ROADS?

Fri 16 October 2026:

Tesla unveiled its new thruster-equipped Roadster in Texas on Thursday after nearly a decade of delays, with Chief Executive Elon Musk announcing a planned 2028 release, according to media reports.

Musk presented the new “flying car” at the company’s SpaceX facility in McGregor, Texas, about 200 miles (354 kilometers) northwest of Houston.

The event drew Tesla enthusiasts, including buyers who paid $250,000 deposits nine years ago to secure the vehicle upon its release.

According to observers, the Roadster demonstrated several unusual maneuvers, including driving upside down, jumping over five Tesla cars lined up side by side and performing a midair barrel roll using SpaceX thrusters.

WATCH | Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveils ‘flying’ Roadster sports car equipped with SpaceX rocket thrusters in Texas

Vehicle takes off vertically, performs mid-air barrel roll over parked Tesla cars and lands on its wheels at SpaceX test site. https://t.co/wLD1xkBytF

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) October 16, 2026

Despite the demonstration, questions remain over whether the vehicle will be legal to operate on public roads.

“Like, this will be an actual car that’s on the roads,” Musk told the crowd before qualifying his remarks.

“Yeah, yeah. Depends on your street. But it’ll be a viable car,” he said.

“You know, I’m not necessarily sure it’s legal in all jurisdictions. But there will be such a car that someone can own,” he added.

WATCH | Tesla has brought flying-car concepts a step closer to reality, though everyday use remains a distant prospect.

The company demonstrated a redesigned Roadster that drove upside down on a specially designed ramp, performed brief airborne manoeuvres and landed safely during an event at a SpaceX facility in McGregor, Texas, on October 15, nearly nine years after the next-generation electric sports car was first unveiled.

The demonstration marked a major moment for the long-awaited electric supercar. The vehicle drove up a huge curved ramp, continued along it upside down, then flew through the air before landing safely. The stunt showcased technology developed with SpaceX, Musk’s rocket company.

Musk shared a video of the demonstration on his social media platform, X, with the caption: “Turns out the future does have flying cars.”
https://t.co/VddWdM2g4D

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) October 16, 2026

Auto industry experts said that is an important distinction because you can buy electric vehicles with similar systems for use on a private track, but “making one actually legal to drive on public roads … is a whole different challenge.”

Tesla said the Roadster could accelerate from zero to 60 mph (96.6 kph) in one second with its thrusters engaged and reach a maximum speed of 230 mph (370 kph).

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