Tesla Sets October 1 Date for Second-Generation Roadster Demonstration
The event is expected to feature the SpaceX thruster package, which could enable a 1.1-second 0-60 mph time.
Tesla has announced an October 1 date for a demonstration of its next-generation Roadster, posting an image on X with the caption "Go for launch." This marks the latest in a series of scheduling updates for the vehicle, which was first revealed in 2017.
What Happened
On Saturday, Tesla shared an image of the Roadster illuminated as if on a launch pad, stamped with the date "10.01" and the phrase "Go for launch." A countdown clock on the company’s Roadster order page now points to this date, which falls on a Thursday. The company has not yet disclosed the event's location or whether it will be streamed. The tease follows a history of delayed timelines for the project. Elon Musk initially revealed the second-generation Roadster in November 2017, promising a 0-60 mph time under two seconds, a top speed above 250 mph, and 620 miles of range. At last year’s shareholder meeting, Musk set an April 1 demo date, joking about "deniability" if the timeline slipped again. That date was subsequently moved to late April, then to "a month or so," and finally to August before the current October 1 announcement.
Why It Matters
The upcoming demonstration is expected to focus on the SpaceX-developed thruster package, internally code-named A71. This system reportedly utilizes cold gas thrusters fed by a composite overwrapped pressure vessel, similar to those used on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets. Musk has indicated that a thruster-equipped Roadster could achieve a 0-60 mph time of approximately 1.1 seconds under roughly 2.75 g of launch force, significantly faster than the 1.9-second figure quoted for the standard model. However, this high-performance variant is reportedly not street legal and has been discussed as a limited run available through a track-only program. The standard Roadster is still expected to retain its original base price of $200,000 and the $250,000 Founders Series tier. Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy has confirmed that production will occur at Gigafactory Texas, with Musk targeting a 2027 or 2028 start, estimated to be 12 to 18 months after the October demonstration.
The Bottom Line
Tesla has officially scheduled an October 1 demonstration for the second-generation Roadster, highlighting the potential of its SpaceX thruster package for sub-2-second acceleration. While production remains targeted for 2027 or 2028, the event serves as the next milestone in a project that has faced multiple timeline delays since its initial 2017 reveal.
