BlockBeats reported on Oct. 16 that Tesla used the unveiling of its second-generation Roadster to stage a series of extreme demonstrations, including upside-down driving, airborne flips, and a claimed 0-100 km/h sprint in 0.81 seconds. People in attendance were given earplugs.
The demo leaned on fan-generated downforce and cold-gas thrusters
According to the report, the upside-down segment relied on a rear-mounted fan that pulled air from under the car, creating downforce of about 2G. The airborne maneuver came from a cold-gas thruster system developed in collaboration with SpaceX. The setup reportedly includes 10 nozzles and around 250 kilograms of stored gas, at the cost of the rear seats.
Using a rough estimate of cold-gas propulsion efficiency cited in the report, a 2-ton vehicle would need to expel about 28 kilograms of gas per second to hover. On that basis, 250 kilograms of gas would support no more than 9 seconds of hover time at absolute maximum, with practical usable time limited to only a few seconds. One media description cited in the article said this was not really flying, but “falling stylishly.”
Current figures differ sharply from earlier promises
The report says the show was visually striking, but the numbers now on display are far from what had been promised nine years ago. Range has dropped from roughly 1,000 kilometers to about 480 kilometers. Delivery has moved from 2020 to 2028. Pricing still has not been announced.
Regulatory and crash-safety issues remain unclear
The article adds that a version equipped with thrusters would most likely fail to clear traffic regulations. It also says U.S. aviation regulators have never certified this type of device. At the event, there was no explanation of the risks tied to gas tanks pressurized to hundreds of atmospheres behind the seats in a crash or rollover.
Musk’s position on the issue was described as consistent: “If safety is your top priority, don’t buy a Roadster.”
Related market data
Separately, according to BIT (bit.com) market data cited in the report, Tesla shares were up 4.3% in U.S. premarket trading, while SpaceX was up 1.9%. The Tesla Roadster is equipped with a cold-gas thruster system developed with SpaceX.