New Tesla Roadster delayed yet again as Musk thanks “long-suffering deposit holders”
The all-electric supercar promises record-beating performance and range figures, when it finally arrives
A fresh update on the future of the Tesla Roadster was given by Elon Musk at Tesla’s annual financial conference and it’s bad news for those wishing to get behind the wheel of one anytime soon.
The second-generation Tesla Roadster was first announced seven years ago in 2017, but delays have pushed it back many times. Tesla’s CEO, Musk, said on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), last year that the Tesla Roadster’s production design is complete, and that it will be revealed at the end of 2024 and shipped the next year.
Musk then revealed on the recent earnings call that development had slowed on the Roadster, stating “I’d certainly like to thank our long-suffering deposit holders of the Tesla Roadster,” and backtracked on earlier updates, saying “we are close to finalising the car’s design”.
The reasoning behind the latest round of delays is due to other models in Tesla’s line up - including the new Robotaxi. “It [the Roadster] has to come behind the things that have a more serious impact on the good of the world”, said Musk, “The Roadster is the cherry on the icing on the cake.” he continued.
What will the price and release date of the Tesla Roadster be?
The Tesla Roadster has been delayed many times since it was announced in 2017, partly due to supply chain shortages. The same happened with the brand’s Cybertruck pick-up, which has finally been launched.
Tesla has already started taking reservations for the Roadster. Prices for the entry-level model are expected to start from around £151,000, with customers being asked to place a £34,000 deposit.
Tesla will also launch a special edition Founders Series model, which will be limited to just 1,000 examples. A final price for this version is yet to be confirmed – but the company has confirmed that buyers will need to place a £185,000 deposit just to secure their build slot. Musk also previously hinted at a version “beyond the base model," which could deliver even more performance.
What are the specs of the Tesla Roadster?
When the Tesla Roadster finally reaches production, Musk promises that it’ll set new benchmarks for electric car range and performance. The firm has already shown the potential of its latest battery and powertrain technology with the new Model S Plaid, which has a maximum output of 1,006bhp and an impressive claimed range of more than 520 miles.
In the Model S Plaid, the tri-motor powertrain has enough grunt for a 0–60mph time of 1.9 seconds and a top speed of 200mph. However, Tesla will push the powertrain even further once it’s been shoehorned into the Roadster.
Naturally, there’ll be some parts shared between the Model S Plaid and the Roadster, which should speed production along. However, unlike its predecessor, the Mk2 Roadster no longer occupies a class of its own – it will wade into an increasingly populated marketplace of pure-electric hypercars, including the Lotus Evija, Pininfarina Battista and APEX AP-0.
Elon Musk has already said the Roadster will have the same 1.9-second 0–60mph time as the Model S Plaid, although the sports car’s top speed will climb to 250mph. What’s more, the Roadster’s 0-100mph time could be as little as 4.2 seconds, which is faster than the Porsche Cayman GTS can accelerate from 0–62mph.
Musk is confident about the car’s ability, though, saying that the Roadster was designed to “give a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars”. Tesla’s own website also makes the rather bold claim that the Roadster is the “quickest car in the world”.
Like the Model S Plaid, the Roadster’s chassis will feature two electric motors on the rear axle and one on the front axle – and Elon says they’ll have a combined torque figure of 10,000Nm. Tesla also claims that its new flagship EV will cover the standing quarter mile in 8.8 seconds, making it the first production car to crack the nine-second barrier.
What will the range of the Tesla Roadster be?
However, the Roadster has been designed with more than outright speed in mind. The motors will be powered by a 200kWh battery pack, which is almost twice the size of any other electric car battery currently on the market. Tesla says the unit will provide a maximum range of 620 miles.
Exactly how Tesla will screw 620 miles out a battery pack is yet to be properly explained, although the company did hold a conference last year in which it outlined a planned shift from traditional cylindrical cells to a more energy-dense “shingle-lattice” design.
Tesla says the new batteries can store more electricity, while retaining the same dimensions as the outgoing system – and, thanks to new silicon anodes rather than traditional graphite anodes, the cells should also be cheaper to produce.
Despite this focus on performance and range, though, Tesla remains adamant that the Roadster will be a practical means of transport. It’ll have a 2+2 seating layout – and, while Musk has conceded that “giant people” will struggle to fit in the rear, he has boasted that there’ll be plenty of storage space in the car’s nose and tail.
As suggested by its name, the Roadster features a convertible roof. However, rather than getting an electrically retractable hardtop, buyers are offered a manually removable glass panel for the middle of the supercar’s roof, which is stowed in the car’s boot. Tesla is yet to officially reveal the car’s interior.
What do you make of the Tesla Roadster’s claimed performance figures? Let us know in the comments section below…
