The Roadster is unlikely to move Tesla’s fundamentals. Estimated volumes of around 2,000 a year are tiny next to the company’s total sales, so any share reaction is likely to be about sentiment and brand rather than earnings. Investor focus remains on Tesla’s AI, robotaxi and robotics ambitions, which carry far more weight in its valuation. The $50,000 upfront deposits bring in some early cash, but the bigger takeaway for investors may be the delay record, which keeps execution risk front of mind.
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Yesterday:
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Tesla’s new Roadster can flip itself in mid-air, which is more than can be said for its delivery schedule, now pointing at 2028.
Summary:
- Tesla unveiled its next-generation Roadster at a SpaceX test site in Texas on Thursday
- Its SpaceX-developed thrusters let it flip and land; Musk claims 0–60 mph in under a second and a top speed above 230 mph
- Reservations need $5,000 down plus $45,000 within 10 days, and a premium version needs a $250,000 deposit
- The price is unconfirmed but expected to top $250,000
- Production is due in 2028, after deliveries were first promised for 2020
- One analyst estimates around 2,000 sales a year, against the 1.6 million vehicles Tesla sold last year
Tesla finally showed off its long-delayed new Roadster on Thursday, complete with SpaceX-developed thrusters that let the car flip itself in mid-air. Buyers will need deep pockets and plenty of patience, though, with production not due to start until 2028.
At a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, the two-seater drove upside down on a ramp, then used its built-in thrusters to turn and land. Chief Executive Elon Musk said the car can reach 60 mph from a standstill in under a second and hit a top speed above 230 mph, and suggested the production version could aim even higher. The thruster system uses 10 nozzles and 250 kilograms of compressed air, and Musk said the tanks can recharge while driving. It was not immediately clear whether the stunt features could be used legally on public roads.
Securing a place in the queue is costly. Tesla is asking for a $5,000 deposit followed by a further $45,000 within 10 days, taking the upfront commitment to $50,000. A higher-specification version requires a $250,000 deposit. Tesla has not confirmed a price, although it is expected to exceed $250,000, well above the roughly $200,000 base price quoted when the car was first unveiled.
The timeline remains the biggest question mark. Tesla first showed a next-generation Roadster in 2017 and said deliveries would begin in 2020, before a series of delays. Thursday’s event itself came two weeks after a planned 1 October reveal was postponed by severe weather.
For investors, the Roadster is a brand statement rather than a business driver. Musk himself has played down its financial importance, and one equity analyst estimates sales of around 2,000 cars a year, a small fraction of the 1.6 million vehicles Tesla sold last year. The company’s valuation rests far more on its push into artificial intelligence, self-driving and robotics, including its Cybercab robotaxi and Optimus humanoid robots.
That makes the Roadster a halo product: one designed to show off engineering ambition and keep the brand in the headlines, rather than move the needle on earnings. Its real test will come in 2028, if Tesla can turn a stunt car into a road car on schedule. Given the history, investors may want to see it before they believe it.
Until 2028?
This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.