Tesla’s highly anticipated Roadster appears to be slowly fading from public view following a prolonged delay. Will this project finally come to fruition? Its uncertain fate has been a topic of speculation for far too long. Despite numerous rumors and whispers, the future of this endeavor remains shrouded in mystery. Still, many remain hopeful that one day, it will take shape and become a reality. But until then, the world waits with bated breath for any sign of progress.
You’ll have effectively invoked Betteridge’s Law, then, rendering the question obsolete by suggesting that any headline ending in a question mark can be answered with “no”.
The production prototype of the next-generation Tesla Roadster was initially showcased in 2017, with a planned return to manufacturing in 2020; nevertheless, the launch has been repeatedly pushed back annually since then.
Speculators predicted the vehicle would achieve an impressive 620 miles (1,000 km) range, accompanied by a blistering acceleration of 0-60 mph in just 1.9 seconds.
Despite being a long-standing topic of jest, lingering uncertainty persists regarding the product’s potential launch, despite Tesla’s earlier assurances that it would reward participating customers with dozens of free Roadsters under its referral program.
Tesla leverages promises of free Roadsters to drive billions in revenue, relying on owners to deliver on their end, while failing to honor its own obligations in the deal.
Additionally, numerous investors placed deposits ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 to secure a spot for the vehicle, which was initially expected to launch five years ago.
Although Tesla’s official timelines have been consistently off the mark, the latest projection, revealed by CEO Elon Musk in July 2024, still lingers as a benchmark.
“With regards to the Roadster, we have made significant progress in terms of its engineering.” While we’re anticipating further enhancements, we expect to start production on the Roadster next year. One specific thing is going to happen.
Despite his assertion that Tesla had completed “a significant portion” of the engineering, the initial timeline suggested that the actual execution would occur in 2021 – three years following the unveiling of the prototype and one year after production was expected to commence.
In October 2024, Musk revisited his earlier comments about the Roadster, but refrained from reaffirming the original 2025 target date for its return to Earth. He referred to the new Roadster as the pièce de résistance.
Since its unveiling in 2017, Tesla’s management has maintained an eerie silence regarding the highly anticipated new Roadster. Two Tesla executives required a gentle reminder from Jay Leno that they had indeed developed the Roadster, as they initially “overlooked” including it in their discussions of forthcoming electric vehicles boasting tri-motor powertrains.
A minor adjustment regarding the Roadster’s impact on Tesla’s financial performance last month was announced.
The manufacturer’s database listed the Roadster as transitioning from an “in improvement” status to a “design improvement” status.
Whether that’s a genuine step forward or just Tesla rewording its stance remains ambiguous. It’s unclear what you mean by “both manner”, so it seems unlikely that the Roadster will enter production in the next 12 months without being developed first.
If ever…
Electrek’s Take
It appears that Tesla is obligated to provide approximately 80 complimentary Tesla Roadsters to referral program participants, in addition to offering significant discounts on numerous other models.
As Tesla’s financials remain uncertain, it’s challenging to envision the company delivering the new Roadster without incurring significant losses; the project reportedly began with a budget of around $100 million in the red, leaving me unclear about their prospects. What a subtle nuance! It may indeed serve as the underlying justification.
Despite this, it’s clear that Tesla struggles fundamentally with the ability to bring multiple automotive applications to market simultaneously. Within the past five years, it has launched just one new vehicle model.
Given the current circumstances, it seems highly unlikely that the Roadster will materialize. The new product will join the ranks of Tesla’s innovative offerings, much like the Cybertruck Variant Extender.
