2028 Tesla Roadster Revealed: Sub-One-Second Sprint and Thruster Tech Detailed Ahead of 2028 Production

Tesla has unveiled the overhauled, production-intended iteration of its second-generation Roadster at a live demonstration at the SpaceX test facility in McGregor, Texas, targeting a 2028 production launch.

First revealed in concept form in 2017 with an original 2020 target date, the rebooted electric halo car shifts away from traditional supercar conventions to incorporate compressed-air thrusters and an active ground-effect suction system.

However, Australian buyers hoping for a localized road-legal release face a major setback. Tesla’s local website now specifies the new Roadster will be "Available as a Left-Hand Drive vehicle only," casting substantial doubt over an official Australian design-rule-compliant road registration.

Extreme Performance and Powertrain Claims

During a livestreamed demonstration, Tesla showcased an instrumented 0–60mph (0–97km/h) acceleration run of 0.81 seconds, substantially quicker than the 1.9-second sprint time originally promised in 2017.

Tesla is currently targeting a top speed of 230mph (370km/h), though CEO Elon Musk suggested ambitions to reach Mach 0.5—equivalent to roughly 383.5mph (617.5km/h). For contextual performance, the 230mph target places it below the 308.34mph (496.22km/h) record held by the BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme.

The vehicle's cornering and stability rely heavily on active aero and forced ground effects. Lower-tier versions feature a fan-suction system integrated into the underbody—drawing parallels to the Brabham BT46B "fan car" Formula 1 concept—that pulls up to 2g of downforce to press the car against the road. The fan operates in Track mode alongside a lowered suspension setting.

Higher grades integrate 10 cold-gas thrusters drawing from ultra-high-pressure compressed-air tanks. Tesla claims the self-charging pneumatic thruster system can generate over 80kN of thrust to assist in lateral cornering, stability, and short mid-air maneuvers demonstrated during the launch stunts.

Powertrain and Performance Specifications

(Note: Specific kilowatt outputs, battery capacity, curb weight, and dimensions have not yet been released by Tesla.)

Variant Breakdown and Structural Architecture

The Roadster's cabin architecture adopts a minimalist, motorsport-derived approach. The seating is moulded directly into the carbon-composite chassis tub to minimize weight, accompanied by a yoke-style steering wheel, gullwing doors, and steer-by-wire controls without physical mechanical linkages.

Tesla Roadster Performance:

• Dual-seat layout
• Integrated active rear wing
• Underbody fan-suction ground-effect system capable of pulling up to 2g
• Track mode with lowered adaptive suspension
• Steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire electronic systems

Tesla Roadster Thrust (Adds over Performance):

• Limited-release configuration
• 10 self-charging compressed-air thrusters delivering >80kN of total thrust
• Sub-one-second 0–100km/h sprint capability
• Dual-seat cabin configuration

Tesla Roadster Rocket (Flagship / Invitation Only):  

• Invitation-only customer allocation
• Single-seat cabin layout
• Full aerial jumping and mid-air gymnastics capability via high-pressure thrusters

2028 Tesla Roadster Pricing and Reservation Details

Final retail pricing for production-series models has not been confirmed. However, Tesla has established a structured reservation tier in the US market. In 2017, the model was initially listed at US$200,000 for standard variants and US$250,000 for the limited Founders Series.