Tesla's Roadster 2.0 will redefine what an electric car is capable of
Tesla
The automotive world has seen ground-breaking innovations in recent years, mostly from one company — Tesla. As a successor to Tesla's first-ever model released in 2008, the second-generation Roadster has been one of the most anticipated electric vehicles in the market.
Originally announced as a 2021 model, the Roadster has been delayed, and it doesn’t appear to be on the company's radar any time soon. However, Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, has promised this upcoming supercar will not only break records but also redefine the concept of speed and performance for electric vehicles. Let’s explore everything we know about the new Tesla Roadster, from impressive specifications to state-of-the-art features.
Overview and Design
The new Tesla Roadster is a four-seater, all-electric supercar designed to be the fastest production car in the world. The Roadster's design is a beautiful blend of elegance and performance, with a sleek and aerodynamic exterior that resembles a futuristic sports car. The convertible hardtop features a removable glass-panel roof, which can be stowed in the trunk, enabling a seamless transition from a closed cabin to an open-air driving experience.
The Roadster boasts an aggressive stance with its wide body, low ground clearance, and massive wheels. Its sharp lines and sculpted curves not only enhance the car's aesthetics but also contribute to its exceptional aerodynamics. The vehicle's design is built around the concept of minimal air resistance, which translates into improved efficiency and performance.
The next Roadster features a removable roof
Tesla
0 to 60 MPH and Top Speed
When Tesla first announced the Roadster, the company highlighted it will be able to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.9 seconds. The car's quarter-mile time is estimated to be around 8.8 seconds, and it will have a top speed of over 250 mph. That was incredible when announced, but the Model S Plaid is already hitting these marks. That means whatever Tesla is coming up with will have to do better than what the 4-door sedan is already doing. Keep reading for the Space X package.
Range and Battery Size
The Roadster's power comes from a three-motor setup consisting of one motor in the front and two in the rear. This configuration provides exceptional traction and handling, along with unparalleled acceleration. The electric motors draw their energy from a massive 200 kWh battery pack, allowing the Roadster to achieve a range of up to 620 miles on a single charge. This extended range sets a new benchmark for EVs, making the Roadster a high-performance vehicle and a practical one for long-distance travel.
The SpaceX Package
The optional SpaceX Package is one of the most intriguing aspects of the new Tesla Roadster. This unique upgrade, inspired by SpaceX's rocket technology, utilizes cold air thrusters to improve the Roadster's performance and handling. The system features an array of compressed air thrusters strategically placed around the vehicle, providing an additional boost during acceleration and improved cornering capabilities.
The acceleration capabilities of the Roadster were discovered by visitors at the Petersen Auto Museum, where the next-generation Tesla Roadster was on display. The vehicle's information panel revealed that, with the addition of cold gas thrusters, the all-electric supercar could achieve a 0-60 mph time of 1.1 seconds. Musk responded to a tweet about the vehicle, confirming that the impressive figure was indeed achievable with the SpaceX Package.
Musk assured that the Roadster would remain a safe vehicle despite featuring rocket components. However, he compared its intense acceleration to a "hardcore roller coaster." He advised against using its full acceleration capabilities for those with medical conditions, as the G forces would be similar to a rocket launch. With the SpaceX Package, the Roadster is placed in league with part-rocket vehicles such as NHRA Top Fuel Dragsters.
Although these features' practicality and real-world applications are yet to be fully understood, the SpaceX Package adds an element of excitement and innovation to the Roadster that is unmatched by any other production car.
Interior
The interior of the new Tesla Roadster is a perfect blend of luxury and technology. Its minimalist design with high-quality materials provides a comfortable and refined experience for the driver and passengers. The cabin is designed to be spacious, with ample legroom and headroom even for the rear passengers, although the rear seats may not be suitable for adults due to the car's angled roofline. The glass roof further enhances the sense of space, offering unobstructed views of the sky above.
The Roadster's interior will be centered by Tesla’s advanced touchscreen infotainment system. It was recently revealed that Cybertruck will have the largest screen yet at 18.5 inches diagonally. It’s likely the Roadster will have something equally as awesome.
The Roadster features a large, vertically-oriented center screen
Tesla
Of course, the Roadster will have all the safety and driver-assistance features that are available in its current lineup. A line-up that quite regularly wins safety accolades. Cutting-edge technology demonstrates Tesla's dedication to enhancing driving safety and the overall driving experience.
Price
The new Tesla Roadster is expected to be available in three different trims: the base model, the Founder's Series, and the SpaceX Package. The base model is expected to start at around $200,000, while the limited-edition Founder's Series will be priced at approximately $250,000. The Founder's Series will be limited to just 1,000 units, and the extra $50,000 may only be worth it for collectors, as there's no information about what differentiates the two.
The cost of the SpaceX Package, which adds cold air thrusters for improved performance, remains to be confirmed but is expected to be a significant premium over the base price.
The Roadster Unveil
Tesla officially revealed the second-generation Roadster on December 14th, 2017. You can watch Tesla's official unveiling of the Roadster below.
Release Date
As for availability, Tesla's Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen recently deflated high hopes of the Roadster coming out any time soon. "We're developing the car. I think you know we have priorities as a company where the priorities are mass electrification and Roadster is not a mass product," he said.
Since the second-generation Roadster idea was made public, Tesla has changed dramatically. Its priorities are on the mass production of affordable electric vehicles. The Roadster just doesn't fit the bill at the moment.
However, at Tesla's recent 2023 shareholder meeting, named Cyber Roundup, Elon Musk gave an update on Tesla's Roadster release date. He expects Tesla to complete the engineering and design of the Roadster in 2023. Musk goes on to say that Tesla will "hopefully" be able to begin production of the low-volume vehicle in 2024.
The new Tesla Roadster will redefine the concept of speed and performance in the electric vehicle market. With its ground-breaking specifications, stunning design, and innovative features, this supercar is poised to become a benchmark for future sports cars. Tesla's commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible with electric vehicles is evident in the Roadster. As the world moves towards sustainable transportation, the Roadster represents a significant step in the evolution of the automobile.
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With most vehicles moving on to Tesla’s 2025.14 Spring Update, we’re now taking a look at all the undocumented features that were discovered during Tesla’s 2025.8 update.
While these features tend to be smaller in nature, some of them are just as valuable as the features outlined in Tesla’s release notes in the vehicle.
This update includes changes such as improvements to maps, trip meters, and Rainbow Road. Let’s take a look at all the undocumented features in Tesla’s 2025.8 software update.
New Map Icons
Not a Tesla App
Icons on the map are being redesigned to be rounder and easier to see. They now feature a white border to make them pop out against a colorful background, which is especially better when using satellite views.
This feature started rolling out slowly but should now be available to everyone.
Trips & Odometer
Not a Tesla App
The Trips display has been improved to show more precise information, and a new metric has been added.
More Precision: The trip meters will now show values with a tenths place when they’re under a certain value. That means that the Current Drive and Since Last Charge trip meters will now show a fractional kWh and a mile. This is especially useful for Current Drive.
The Current Drive meter is automatically reset when your vehicle comes out of park so that it can track your current drive, while the Since Last Charge meter automatically resets after a charging session completes.
More Data: In addition to added precision, the Current Drive now features a new data point. kWh is now shown for the current drive, just like the other trip meters. Previously, the Current Drive showed minutes instead of kWh -- it now features both.
These changes affect the Trips widget in the Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck. While the added precision is also added to all vehicles under Controls > Trips, the new kWh metric for the Current Drive is only displayed in the small widget.
Additional Tool Tips
Not a Tesla App
Tesla has added some additional tips to the screen that show up in certain cases. For example, if you’re playing audio over Bluetooth, Tesla will suggest that you use their built-in music apps instead of streaming through your phone.
Destination Charging
Not a Tesla App
Destination charging icons are now visible on the map when you have Points of Interest enabled. You can enable Points of Interest by tapping on the map and choosing the Points of Interest icon on the right side near the satellite imagery icon.
Some destination chargers may charge a fee, while others may be open to the public or exclusive to paying customers.
Navigation Improvements
Not a Tesla App
If you're using Tesla's navigation system with voice guidance enabled, the spoken directions will now stop immediately when you end the trip. Previously, the spoken directions would continue being played until the phrase was completed.
Improved Rainbow Road
Not a Tesla App
The rainbow road feature has been greatly improved in this update with FSD. Rainbow road, which can be enabled in the Toybox app, now changes the vehicle's path when on Autopilot from a blue path to a rainbow one.
Previously, Tesla had to overlay the blue path on top of the rainbow colors because rainbow road didn’t support all the features of the path, such as showing chevrons when slowing down rapidly.
With this update, the rainbow path now incorporates all the same features as the blue path when FSD is active.
In addition, if you start Rainbow Road by tapping the right stalk four times, audio will play. Unfortunately, the sound couldn’t be stopped until it was completed before, but with this update, you can now stop the audio by reducing the volume with the left scroll wheel.
Additional Transparency Effects
Not a Tesla App
On Intel vehicles, several modules didn't include a transparency effect. This was primarily due to Intel cars not using the blur effect since it could slow down the infotainment unit.
With this update, Tesla has enabled the transparency effect across a set of modules. Notably, this fixes the issue when using full-screen visualizations where the music player had transparency, but the navigation module on the right did not.
Transparency has also been added to other modules that are displayed over the map, such as the list of Superchargers, destinations, search results, and the ETA / End Trip module displayed at the bottom.
Note: Due to the lack of the blur effect on Intel due to performance reasons, these changes could make some text more difficult to read.
No Phone Key Graphic
Not a Tesla App
The graphic that's displayed in the vehicle when it doesn't detect a phone key has been updated. Tapping on the blue text at the bottom displays the old animation showing you where to tap a key card.
Bluetooth Player
Not a Tesla App
The Bluetooth app typically only displays the connected devices and a button to connect a new device. There was a lot of white space, since there wasn’t much other information to display.
With this update, Tesla is making it easier to jump to another source by displaying available music streaming services underneath the connected Bluetooth device.
Tapping a music service will jump to the selected service.
Service Mode Release Notes
@scotsrule08 on X
As with most Tesla updates, Tesla usually adds or improves Service Mode with additional features, making diagnosing and fixing problems easier. This update adds or improves the following items.
New HVAC Panel
A new HVAC panel is available to support HVAC system diagnosis. It adds the ability to determine the status of the HVAC actuators, HEPA filter, and blower motor.
Applies to: Cybertruck
HV Battery Panel Update - Moved State of Health (SOH) Routine
The State of Health (SOH) routine in the HV Battery panel has been moved to the Controls > Service tab, which does not require entering Service Mode or Service Mode Plus.
Applies to: 2021+ Model S, 2021+ Model X, Model 3, Model Y
Windows Panel Update - Rear Defrost Routine
The rear defrost component on the Windows panel has been updated to simplify diagnostics. The re-enable routine will now be visible all the time, but it can only be ran when a condition requiring its usage is detected.
Applies to: 2021+ Model S, 2021+ Model X, Model 3, Model Y
Seats Panel Update - Cabin Radar and Seat Sensor
The Seats panel has been updated to show whether the cabin radar and/or seat sensor is being used to detect occupants in the front seats.
The gateway configuration for the steering column motor type can now be updated on the Steering panel.
Applies to: Model 3, Model Y
Service Mode Update - Media Source Switches to Bluetooth
When entering Service Mode, the Media Source will now automatically switch to Bluetooth to prevent the vehicle from playing media using the customer's connected media accounts.
Applies to: Model S, Model X, Model 3, Model Y
Charging Panel Update - Charge Port ECU Reset Routine
The Charge Port Electronic Control Unit (ECU) reset routine, TEST-RESET_CP, has been added to the Charging panel, which may be required after performing Charge Port related service.
Applies to: Model 3, Model Y, Palladium S, Palladium X, Cybertruck
Noise Recording Panel Update - Moved to Tools
The Noise Recording panel has been moved from the the High Voltage panel to the Tools panel. To access the panel, tap Tools > Noise Recording.
Applies to: Cybertruck
Coolant Panel Update - Coolant Purge Status Indicator
An indicator has been added to the Coolant panel to report the status of the coolant purge and whether the coolant purge needs to rerun.
Applies to: Cybertruck
Next Update
Tesla’s next update is the 2025.14 Spring Update, which has now rolled out to more than half of the Tesla fleet. If you’re still waiting for it, rest assured that you should be updated soon. If you’ve already updated, be sure to check out the undocumented features already found in the 2025.14 update.
Tesla has issued a strong denial in response to a Wall Street Journal report (Paywall) which claimed that Tesla’s Board of Directors had initiated a search for a new CEO.
In a statement posted directly on Tesla’s X account, Board Chair Robyn Denholm denied the report unequivocally. As per the statement, Tesla’s board did not reach out to recruiting firms in search of a new CEO.
Earlier today, there was a media report erroneously claiming that the Tesla Board had contacted recruitment firms to initiate a CEO search at the company.
This is absolutely false (and this was communicated to the media before the report was published).
The statement reaffirmed the board’s position on Tesla’s current leadership and that the board is highly confident in Elon’s ability to continue executing Tesla’s plans and future growth.
This confidence behind Elon follows his recent statements made during the Q1 2025 Earnings Call that he would be stepping back from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the coming days and significantly reducing time spent there. Instead, he would be returning to focus on Tesla’s operations and the upcoming deployment of Robotaxi.
Shortly after the denial was posted, Elon Musk also commented on the report, specifically tagging the Wall Street Journal and criticizing their handling of the report.
It is an EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS that the @WSJ would publish a DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE and fail to include an unequivocal denial beforehand by the Tesla board of directors! https://t.co/9xdypLGg3c
We’re glad to see Tesla and Elon set the matter straight, but there could have been a better way to spread this message and maybe even prevent the report from WSJ from going out.
We recently published an opinion piece on why Tesla needs its PR team back, and this specific incident is a good example. Relying solely on platforms like X for critical corporate communications - and in this case, late at night (1 AM EST), with limited reach outside the existing follower base seems like an ineffective way of communicating important company information.
We’d love to see Tesla really put some thought into managing its image, as it seems that several recent reports from major financial news organizations have apparently been wrong.
Either way, the board’s stance is clear - there is no active search underway, and Elon has the full backing and support of the board to lead Tesla toward the future.