Tesla finally sets a date for new Roadster reveal
Words: Kyle Cassidy
Tesla has scheduled the reveal of its long-delayed second-generation Roadster for October 1 in Waco, Texas, nearly nine years after showing the original prototype.
The event begins at 5.30pm Pacific time, meaning New Zealand viewers will need to tune in at 1.30pm on Friday, October 2. Tesla has not confirmed whether the presentation will be livestreamed.
A countdown is now running on Tesla’s New Zealand Roadster website, while invitations have reportedly been sent to early reservation holders and media. Guests have until September 16 to respond and must be aged over 21. Reuters has confirmed the October 1 unveiling, while event invitations identify Waco as the location.
Tesla announced the date with a suitably brief post on X reading “Go for launch”. Its accompanying teaser carries the date “10.01” and shows the rear of a car beneath launch-pad-style lighting.
Flip the teaser image upside down and it appears to reveal an angular tail, a full-width light bar, a large rear wing and four white plumes emerging from the rear deck.
Those plumes appear to reference the optional SpaceX package Elon Musk has discussed for several years. The system is expected to use cold-gas thrusters to improve acceleration and could potentially allow the car to lift briefly from the ground.
According to a report from The Information, Tesla may offer two Roadster variants, including a limited version equipped with the thrusters. The reveal could also include a demonstration near SpaceX’s McGregor engine-testing facility, located a short distance from Waco.
Nine years of waiting
Tesla unveiled the Roadster prototype in November 2017, rolling it from the back of the company’s Semi truck.
At the time, it promised acceleration from 0–97km/h in 1.9 seconds, a top speed exceeding 400km/h and around 1000km of range. Pricing was announced at US$200,000 for the regular model and US$250,000 for the Founders Series, with production initially planned for 2020.
That deadline came and went, followed by targets spanning 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025–2026. This October reveal is also the fifth date floated during 2026 alone.
Musk initially suggested an April 1 demonstration, while noting he had “deniability because I can say I was just kidding”. Later targets included April, May and August.
Production won’t begin immediately after the latest unveiling, either. Musk previously said customer cars would follow 12 to 18 months after the demonstration, potentially pushing deliveries into late 2027 or early 2028. Reports continue to place production at least another year away.
Musk has also said the finished Roadster will be “very different” from the 2017 prototype. Given the shape visible in the latest teaser, October’s reveal could finally show how much has changed.
