The New Tesla Roadster: Price, Performance and Specs

Tesla's Roadster 2.0 will redefine what an electric car is capable of

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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

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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

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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.

Tesla Building Cortex 2.0 Supercomputer at Giga Texas to Power FSD

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FSD’s insatiable appetite for AI compute is taking shape once again at Giga Texas, where Tesla is building out Cortex 2.0 — its second large-scale GPU supercomputer cluster — on the facility’s north side.

This confirmation comes thanks to the detailed research and findings by Giga Texas drone pilot Joe Tegtmeyer, who shared his findings on X.

For months, there has been some speculation on what this new site would be - new storage, the Optimus production line, preparation for the Cybercab’s unboxed assembly process, and more. Now, thanks to permits filed by Tesla, we know that this new area is destined to become the second supercomputer destined for FSD training. 

Cortex 2.0

There are some key details we can unpack from what we’ve learned about Cortex 2.0. The new facility will be on the north side of Giga Texas, opposite Cortex 1.0, which is on the south side. The permits explicitly tie the usage of this expansion to Cortex 2.0, namely through the fact that it is a data center.

This is actually a change from Tesla’s original plans - the northern section was intended to be used as a central campus support facility, with three smaller facilities and water storage tanks. Now, it has been redesignated as Cortex 2.0 and is one large structure.

The permits that have been filed have already been approved and cover the foundations, underground water mains, and building itself. The steel structure is actively being put together on the concrete foundations, and about 50% of the roof decking is already complete, bringing the exterior shell closer to completion.

Fueling FSD’s Brain

The deployment of Cortex 2.0 is the latest in Tesla’s massive and ongoing investment in the computational power required to train FSD. While this primarily covers FSD for cars, this will also eventually apply to Optimus, which is powered by the same AI4 computer and also runs a variant of FSD.

This isn’t Tesla’s first foray into large-scale AI infrastructure and won’t be their last. Alongside Dojo, their home-grown AI supercomputer, Tesla has been partnering closely with Nvidia to ensure they have the GPUs necessary to do all the hard work. Cortex 2.0 is the next iteration, and once it's fully online, we can expect that Tesla’s work on FSD will accelerate even further.

Especially since Elon is planning something truly outrageous once again:

Been thinking about the fastest way to bring a terawatt of compute online.

That is roughly equivalent to all electrical power produced in America today.

— gorklon rust (@elonmusk) May 12, 2025

You can check out Joe’s full video below:

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Tesla FSD in Europe: Highway Approval Expected to Arrive in September

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With European Tesla owners eagerly awaiting any news on FSD in Europe, we’ve seen Tesla tease FSD, and also point out exactly what the barrier has been - regulatory approval. Now, following the latest meeting of UNECE, new regulatory amendments are set to unlock “System-Initiated Maneuvers” (SIM) on highways across participating European nations.

This development, highlighted by Kees Roelandschap on X, notes that the latest documents from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) center on amendments to UNECE regulation 171. These changes were formally adopted into UNECE during the WP29 World Forum in March 2025.

Now, the amendment that will enable SIM will come into force on September 26, 2025. This six-month period after approval is standard UNECE procedure and allows objections from party states that would halt the implementation. Objections to UNECE amendments are genuinely rare, with 95% of amendments passing without objection once the World Forum adopts them.

What This Means for FSD in Europe

System-initiated maneuvers will allow your Tesla to perform actions autonomously, such as changing lanes on a highway, while the driver remains fully responsible for supervision. This is a substantial step up from current regulatory standards that only allow for suggested maneuvers or require explicit driver initiation for every automated maneuver. 

This inches towards the more normal “hands-off, eyes-on” approach that Tesla has taken with FSD Supervised in North America and China. This regulatory change will help to provide the legal frameworks needed to deploy more advanced autonomy capabilities in Europe, at least matching what’s available on highways in North America.

Tesla is waiting for EU approval (sigh)

— gorklon rust (@elonmusk) May 12, 2025

Highways Only

The UNECE regulation will apply to all countries that adopt its standards, including the European Union, Japan, and South Korea - unless they specifically block it. This is a relatively positive development, but there are some hiccups.

This regulation only allows for system-initiated maneuvers on highways, not low-speed roadways. That means the city streets portion of FSD’s capabilities - including handling ‘Start FSD from Park` and reaching your destination’s parking spot - still won’t be available in Europe. 

In addition, the UNECE framework has stricter requirements for driver monitoring and attentiveness - which means that some nags, including the dreaded wheel nag, are likely to remain a key portion of the experience.

Progress on autonomous driving regulations in Europe has been fraught with indecision and caution, which has been a source of frustration for many who are watching the everyday progress of FSD in North America, and more recently, in China. Even with individual countries recently approving testing of FSD on public roads, harmonized UNECE regulations are the key to wider, consistent deployment, which will allow everyday customers to use it as well.

While the path to full parity with North America may be long and involve even more regulatory machinations, the upcoming implementation of System-Initiated Maneuvers is a big step forward for Tesla owners in Europe. It is a key piece of the puzzle that will help Tesla bring some more features of FSD to Europe, assuming the September timeline holds.

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