Tesla Roadster Performance, Thrust and Rocket Trims: Specs, Price and 2028 Production

The Tesla Roadster was unveiled on October 15, 2026 at SpaceX’s test site in McGregor, Texas, after the event slipped from October 1 because of weather. The new Tesla Roadster comes in three trims, Performance, Thrust and Rocket, and Tesla reports a range of more than 300 miles, while Elon Musk said production is planned for 2028.

Price details are thinner. No sticker price has been published for any Tesla Roadster trim, only a $50,000 reservation payment for the Performance version, and several specifications were not stated at the event.

What Are the Tesla Roadster Trims?

The Tesla Roadster comes in three trims, Performance, Thrust and Rocket, and they differ mainly in how much SpaceX thruster hardware each one carries. According to Benzinga, Performance is the base trim, with a multi-mode suction system and active aerodynamics but no cold-gas thrusters. Thrust is a limited release that seats two and adds cold-gas thrusters on top of the suction system, and Tesla says it reaches 0-60 mph in under one second.

Rocket is the most extreme version. It seats one person and carries thrusters for forward, upward and lateral rotational movement, but Benzinga reports that it is invite-only and not approved for public roads, which makes it closer to a demonstration vehicle than a car most buyers can order. The event did not describe delivery order or regional availability for any trim in the sources reviewed, so Tesla’s own pages are the place to check how each version will be offered.

What Are the Tesla Roadster Specs So Far?

The confirmed Tesla Roadster specs are a range above 300 miles, a top speed Musk put above 230 mph and a 0-60 mph time that Tesla says is under one second for the Thrust trim. Benzinga cites Tesla for the range figure and does not list a top speed, while paultan reports Musk saying the car reaches “over 370 km/h (230 mph)” and that he hopes for more, with a stated wish to exceed half the speed of sound.

The acceleration figures need careful reading. Paultan reports a live run at the event of 0.81 seconds from 0 to 96 km/h, about 60 mph, and a separate recorded test of about one second. Those are demonstration results, and the sources describe the target as “under one second,” not as a certified time. Paultan lists the car as a two-seater, and the event did not give range per trim or battery capacity.

Other design details were shown. Benzinga reports a redesigned steer-by-wire system with a yoke, and a suction system that works as a downforce generator by pulling air from beneath the car. Tesla says it can hold the car upside down even while stationary, and paultan describes a high-downforce mode, a low-drag mode and a road mode with the rear wing folded away.

How Do the SpaceX Thrusters Work on the Tesla Roadster?

The thrusters on the Tesla Roadster are cold-gas nozzles that release compressed air, not rocket engines that burn fuel. Paultan reports ten nozzles in total, with four main thrusters in the rear diffuser and thrusters at all four corners that fire downward for landings. The air is stored in two carbon overwrapped pressure vessels with a combined capacity of 600 litres, holding about 250 kg of air.

Benzinga adds that the thrusters use electric actuators for micro adjustments in flight. In the demonstration, the car lifted, rotated and landed, and media coverage described flips and a barrel roll. These were staged demonstrations at a SpaceX test site, and the event did not state how long the car can stay airborne, how often the tanks can be refilled, or whether any of this will be available on a road-legal car. The Performance trim has no cold-gas thrusters at all, so buyers of the base trim should not expect any flight capability.

How Much Does the Tesla Roadster Cost and When Will It Be Built?

No sticker price has been published for the Tesla Roadster, and Musk said production will begin in 2028. The only price in the sources reviewed is the reservation: Benzinga reports that the U.S. reservation page requires $50,000 for the Performance trim, made up of $5,000 upfront and $45,000 within 10 days. Prices for Thrust and Rocket were not found, and Rocket is invite-only.

A 2028 production date leaves a long gap between the reveal and deliveries, so specifications, pricing and trim structure may still change. Musk has also moved dates before. The reveal itself was originally set for April 1, 2026, according to a TechCrunch report from November 2025, and later moved, so readers who are considering a reservation should read Tesla’s current terms, including refund conditions, before paying. 

How Does the New Tesla Roadster Compare With the 2017 Promises?

The new Tesla Roadster promises less range and a lower top speed than the 2017 prototype, but a far quicker 0-60 time and the thruster hardware. The 2017 prototype was billed at up to 620 miles of range, a top speed above 250 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, according to a 2023 report from Not a Tesla App. The new figures are more than 300 miles of range, over 230 mph according to Musk, and under one second in the Thrust trim.

Seating has also changed, with the new car described as a two-seater in the reports reviewed, while the 2023 report called the earlier concept a four-seater. These are differences between a 2017 prototype and a 2026 reveal, and neither set is a production specification yet. Because production is planned for 2028, the numbers are best treated as current targets, and any trim-by-trim figures should be rechecked when Tesla publishes full specifications.

How Can Traders Follow Tesla Roadster News on WEEX?

Traders who follow the Tesla Roadster story can watch TSLA on WEEX through the TSLA-USDT pair, although the car is only one input into the stock’s price. The Roadster is not due in production until 2028, so the nearer drivers are Tesla’s third-quarter earnings, expected on October 21, and what management says about margins, Robotaxi and delivery timing. A flashy reveal can lift attention without changing any of those numbers, and none of the sources reviewed ties a single price move to the Roadster.

For a plain view of the stock, the TSLA-USDT spot page lets users buy and sell without leverage, so there is no liquidation and no funding fee. Traders who want to take a view in either direction can look at the TSLA-USDT futures page, but futures use leverage, can be liquidated and carry funding fees, which makes position size and exit levels matter far more than any headline about thrusters. Trading TSLA-USDT gives exposure to Tesla’s price and is not the same as holding Tesla shares, so the contract details on each page are worth reading first, and pair availability can change.

Conclusion

The Tesla Roadster now has three trims, a $50,000 Performance reservation and a stated 2028 production plan, but most of what was shown is demonstration footage. Range above 300 miles comes from Tesla, the 230 mph top speed from Musk, and the sub-second acceleration is a target supported by one live run of 0.81 seconds.

Unconfirmed items include Thrust and Rocket pricing, official top speed and range per trim, regional road approval and delivery timing. Readers following the Tesla Roadster can wait for Tesla’s published specifications before treating any figure as final.

FAQ

1. What are the Tesla Roadster trims?
The Tesla Roadster comes in Performance, Thrust and Rocket trims. Performance has no thrusters, Thrust adds cold-gas thrusters, and Rocket is a one-seat, invite-only version.

2. How much does the Tesla Roadster cost?
No sticker price has been published for the Tesla Roadster. The U.S. reservation for Performance is $50,000, with $5,000 due upfront and $45,000 within 10 days.

3. When will the Tesla Roadster go into production?
Musk said the Tesla Roadster will enter production in 2028. Specifications and pricing may change before then.

4. How fast is the Tesla Roadster?
Tesla says the Thrust trim reaches 0-60 mph in under one second, and a live run showed 0.81 seconds. Musk cited a top speed above 230 mph for the Tesla Roadster.

5. Can the Tesla Roadster really fly?
Cold-gas thrusters lifted and rotated the Tesla Roadster in a staged demonstration, but flight time and road use are unconfirmed. The Performance trim has no thrusters.