Tesla Roadster, promise or mirage? The public demonstration is delayed again

Tesla has once again postponed the public demonstration of the new generation Roadster, a model first announced in 2017 and which has since become one of the most controversial projects of the American car manufacturer. According to a rumor reported by The Information and attributed to sources close to the program, the event has been moved to August or a later date, after several delays announced in recent months.

The demonstration is expected to take place in Texas and aims to showcase one of the most discussed technologies associated with the Roadster: the cold gas thruster system developed in collaboration with SpaceX. Tesla claims that this solution could significantly enhance the vehicle's performance, improving acceleration, braking, and driving dynamics. Elon Musk has also stated several times that the system could allow the vehicle to temporarily lift off the ground, a statement that continues to spark some debate, balancing between anticipation and hilarity.

This delay represents the latest chapter in a long series of postponements. When the Roadster prototype was shown in November 2017, Tesla indicated 2020 as the year to start production. Since then, the timeline has been repeatedly revised. In the fall of 2025, Musk suggested April 1, 2026, as the date for an official unveiling of the vehicle; subsequently, the timeframe was moved to between late May and early June, now arriving at a new window projected for August or later.

The information released by The Information suggests that the reason for the postponement may be linked to the development of the technology internally codenamed "A71." According to the cited sources, Tesla and SpaceX conducted a preliminary demonstration of the system in front of Musk only at the end of April, signaling that the project may still be in the refinement phase.

The company is reportedly considering marketing a special version of the Roadster equipped with the SpaceX package, in addition to a scaled-down variant of the model. Musk had previously described this configuration in 2018, mentioning about ten small air-compressed thrusters positioned at the rear of the vehicle instead of the rear seats. Among the hypothesized performances are a sprint from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 1.1 seconds and dynamic capabilities superior to traditional electric sports cars.

However, it remains to be seen how many of these promises will actually be delivered in a production model. In the meantime, customers who have made deposits continue to wait. Since 2017, Tesla has collected reservations starting from $50,000 to secure a spot on the waiting list, while buyers of the limited edition Founders Series have paid up to $250,000. Nearly ten years after the initial presentation, no production Roadster has yet been delivered.