Tesla’s second-generation Roadster demonstration in mid-October, in which the vehicle used compressed air to thrust itself briefly off the ground, has prompted at least one existing reservation holder to put down money for another car. Alex Lawrence, owner of used-electric-vehicle dealership EVAuto, said he placed a second reservation while watching the demonstration online. The flight lasted only seconds, and the compressed-air system takes six to seven hours to refill.
Reserving the Roadster is costly. Tesla began accepting $50,000 reservations when it unveiled the car as a surprise at a 2017 event, with deliveries then planned for 2020. The company now says production will begin in 2028, and delivery dates remain unclear. The base model, which lacks acceleration thrusters and the flight system, still requires a $50,000 deposit, while the second-tier Thrust variant requires a $250,000 deposit. The flying version, called Rocket, is listed as invite-only, and Elon Musk has acknowledged it will not be street legal. Tesla’s reservation terms describe purchase prices as estimates, and those estimates do not yet exist.
Lawrence said his business, rather than he personally, put down the money for the reservations. He said he intends to use the car on a track for marketing content, citing his dealership’s growing social media following. He added that he will do everything in his power to obtain the flying version.
Travis Cook, a Utah-based tech founder, upgraded his nearly 10-year-old reservation for the base variant to the Thrust because he wants to live with the car. Cook, who calls himself a car aficionado and holds a dealer’s license, said he has no regrets about the reservation but might balk if the price approaches half a million dollars. He said his wife does not enjoy rapid acceleration in his other cars and probably will not want to ride in the Roadster. Cook said the October demonstration exceeded his expectations and left his jaw on the floor.
The Roadster does not appear to be a top priority for Tesla. Musk has said for years that the automaker is focused on robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomy rather than car making, and he has described the new Roadster as the company’s last human-driven car. The supercar received two mentions during Tesla’s hourlong earnings call with investors this month, when Musk called it arguably the coolest demo of any product ever. Musk has also donated at least $445 million to Republican candidates ahead of the US midterms.
Lawrence said he believes Musk will deliver on his promises and that his business’s investment will prove worthwhile. He described the wedge-shaped car’s looping demonstration as nostalgic and existential, saying there is not much today that stops people in their tracks. He said watching it made him feel 15 years old.
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