Is Tesla’s Flying Car Safe? Musk Says It’s “Not Necessarily a Safety-Optimized Car

Elon Musk showed off a flying Tesla Roadster at SpaceX’s McGregor test site in Texas on Thursday. “Turns out the future does have flying cars,” the Tesla CEO posted on X afterward.

Yet the flight system comes only with the invite-only Rocket version. Even the non-flying Thrust model requires $250,000 upfront before Tesla names a price.

What Can the Flying Tesla Roadster Actually Do?

During Tesla’s livestream, a fan suction system held the car upside down. Thrusters borrowed from SpaceX then flipped it through the air before it landed.

Turns out the future does have flying cars pic.twitter.com/6fexPp6SXI

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 16, 2026

Two tanks hold about 250 kilograms of air for 10 nozzles, Tesla’s team said. Musk added that the car refills those tanks itself, so it needs no special propellant.

Moreover, Musk said the car can exceed 230 mph. Tesla also clocked 0 to 60 mph in 0.81 seconds during a live test.

However, Musk admitted the Tesla Roadster is “not necessarily a safety-optimized car.” He also doubted it would be legal in every jurisdiction.

The Roadster’s look borrows from aviation, too. Tesla said the design draws on the SR-71 spy plane and the F-35 fighter jet.

Our design language has evolved since the last reveal: from S3XY to Cybertruck, Cybercab & OptimusRoadster is inspired by the SR-71 & F-35 pic.twitter.com/CV7trDTS66

— Tesla (@Tesla) October 16, 2026

Why Pay $250,000 for a Car Without a Price?

Reserving a base Tesla Roadster starts with a fully refundable $5,000 deposit. After that, a $45,000 payment falls due within 10 days, or Tesla cancels the reservation.

For the Thrust version, which adds acceleration thrusters but no flight system, that second payment rises to $245,000. Tesla also caps Thrust at one order per customer, citing limited availability.

Still, Tesla has not confirmed a sticker price for any version. Musk says production starts in 2028, eight years after the original 2020 delivery target.

Before the event, traders questioned whether the reveal could trigger another stock crash. Musk also hinted at a Tesla and SpaceX merger ahead of the demo.

Yet the Tesla Roadster sits far from the core of Tesla’s valuation. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives ties Tesla’s golden year in 2027 to robotaxis and Optimus robots instead.

Notably, Musk called the Roadster the only manually driven car Tesla will make long term. After the third-quarter delivery beat, investors will likely focus on the Oct. 21 earnings. There, autonomy decides whether Tesla trades like a carmaker or an AI company.