American electric vehicle giant Tesla and private aerospace firm SpaceX will merge their respective knowledge and expertise to develop and produce the highly awaited electric Roadster, yTech reports.
Partnership
Tesla and SpaceX leader Elon Musk has yet to reveal more information about the upcoming partnership. However, his recent remarks hint at a potential integration of innovative components and propulsion systems to build a high-performance Roadster.
In hindsight, Chief Executive Elon Musk confirmed in an interview with ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon mid-March that Tesla and SpaceX will team up to reincarnate the iconic electric sports car. However, he omitted to share more details.
“Look, I don’t want to give away much more than what I’ve said publicly, except that the Roadster will be a collaboration between SpaceX and Tesla—so you can expect some rocket-y stuff there.”
Elon Musk
Nonetheless, the American business tycoon guaranteed that the Roadster would feature “rocket” tech with SpaceX’s aid.
“It’s gonna be really cool, and it’s gonna have some rocket technology in it. The only way to do something that’s cooler than the Cybertruck is to combine SpaceX and Tesla technology to create something that’s not even really a car.”
Elon Musk
Considering CEO Musk’s statements, Tesla may adopt the lithium-aluminum alloy material of the Falcon 9 rockets to boost the Roadster’s performance and efficiency. For context, it is a lightweight material that is also very durable.
Moreover, Tesla also seeks to use SpaceX’s cold gas thrusters to equip the second-gen Roadster with industry-leading maneuverability through precise stability control. It could potentially pave the way for an innovative EV that not only drives but also interacts with its environment.
Brief background
Tesla initially introduced the new electric Roadster during the Tesla Semi unveiling event in 2017.
The American electric automaker believes that the new Roadster will serve as its new “halo car” to further solidify its reputation in the electric vehicle industry. Tesla also aims to use the new electric sports car as a tool to show the automotive industry that if one aims to produce the best car model, it must be an electric vehicle.
Tesla originally planned to launch the Roadster in 2020. However, the company has constantly delayed it every year since then.
The most recent delay in the Tesla Roadster’s debut was 2024, with CEO Musk explaining that the company “radically increased the design goals for the new Tesla Roadster.”
What’s currently known about the new Roadster?
The Tesla boss teased that the new Roadster can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just less than 1 second, further boasting that it is the “least interesting part.”
CEO Musk also seemingly agreed with a question from a Tesla online community about the Roadster’s potential capability to fly, hinting that the car will arrive as a true rocket on wheels.
In addition, the American billionaire previously said that the new Roadster will feature a drive-by-wire yoke similar to the one used by planes. However, unlike what others expect, it will apparently have no huge wings.
“It does not have big wings, big wings would be unwieldy on the road.”
Elon Musk
Excitingly, CEO Elon Musk previously announced plans to officially reveal the new Roadster by the end of the year. However, Tesla has once again delayed the electric sports car’s production sometime in 2025. We can expect to learn more about Tesla’s upcoming electric sports car in the upcoming months near and on its official debut.
