The New Tesla Roadster: Price, Performance and Specs

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

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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's New Model S and Model X Spotted: New Color & Grill, Ambient Lighting and Front Bumper Camera

klwtts/X

Tesla’s long-anticipated refresh of the Model S and Model X is drawing closer, and we’re finally getting a clearer look at what to expect. Although the update is relatively minor, it does help freshen up the look of the Model S and Model X since their redesign in 2021.

A camouflaged Model S was spotted at the Nürburgring just days ago, revealing new front and rear bumpers along with Tesla’s long-awaited addition: a front bumper camera.

New Grill

klwtts/X

While the camouflage made the grill-like opening at the front of the vehicle hard to spot, it was evident something was there. However, new photos shared by The Kilowatts show that Tesla is covering up this opening with a material that has a carbon fiber finish, at least on the Plaid variant.

While we were hoping for more drastic changes, such as a grill-less look with a light bar, similar to the new Model Y, it looks like that won’t happen with this refresh.

The limited design changes suggest Tesla may be trying to limit tooling and manufacturing changes for these lower-volume vehicles. While the headlights already support adaptive beams, they remained unchanged from the current Model S and Model X.

Our best look at the new front bumper camera on the upcoming Model S

klwtts/X

Rear Diffuser

klwtts/X

Tesla has also updated the rear diffuser, though it’s unclear if this will be exclusive to the Plaid version. While the refreshed Model Y moved its rear camera up into the rear trim piece, the Model S keeps it in the same location as the previous generation.

Ambient Lighting Arrives

For the first time, we’re getting a look at the refreshed interior — and there’s one noticeable addition: ambient lighting. This feature, which is now available on all of Tesla’s other vehicles, is finally making its way to the Model S and Model X. The implementation appears closer in style to the Model Y, with lighting running along the door panels but stopping about halfway down before continuing on the rear doors.

While ambient lighting is primarily aesthetic, Tesla has been expanding its use for more dynamic and interactive features.

Recent Ambient Lighting Additions

Over the last year, Tesla has made the ambient lighting feature more useful by integrating it with other Tesla vehicles. For example, Santa Mode and Rainbow Road easter eggs will now take advantage of the ambient lighting, with Santa Mode cycling the colors between red and green for a Christmas flair [videos], while Rainbow Road cycles the colors of the rainbow.

Tesla has also added other little additions, such as turning the ambient lighting red when Service Mode is active in the vehicle. They have also added additional options in recent updates to ambient lighting, such as the ability to choose the brightness of the lights and choose whether they'll always remain on or only come on at night.

New Exterior Color

klwtts/X

The refreshed Model X was also spotted in a new exterior color, similar but not identical to the Glacier Blue available on the new Model Y outside North America.

Launch Timeline

Although Tesla hasn’t officially said anything about a new Model S besides that, it’ll receive some “love” later this year. The Kilowatts noted that Tesla doesn’t have any Model S or X vehicles in their Fremont outbound lot, making it seem like these models could be announced any day now.

While the updates are relatively minor in terms of body redesign, the addition of the front bumper camera and ambient lighting are very welcome additions.

Stay tuned to see if there are any additional changes to these vehicles.

New factory blue, coming soon to a Model X near you pic.twitter.com/3CuN4j1ipq

— The Kilowatts 🚗⚡️ (@klwtts) May 22, 2025

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Tesla Launches Alcantara Dash Trim Upgrade for New Model 3 and Model Y

Not a Tesla App

Tesla has begun selling a new Charcoal Suede dash insert for owners of the refreshed (2024+) Model 3 and refreshed (2026+) Model Y in the Tesla store. 

Currently, both refreshed Model 3 and Model Y are shipping with a textile dash finish. This new accessory upgrades that surface to a vegan Alcantara suede, which is soft-to-the-touch and considerably more premium than the standard option.

For owners of the Launch Edition Model Y, this suede trim was included as part of the Launch Edition. Now, other refreshed Model Y owners can take advantage of the more premium Alcantara suede to achieve the same look and feel in their RWD or AWD vehicles.

Sweet, Smooth, Suede.

Not a Tesla App

Pricing and Installation

For those looking to make the upgrade, the Charcoal Suede dash insert is priced at $250 USD / $345 CAD with installation included. Currently, availability is limited to the United States and Canada, but it will likely become available in Europe and Asia-Pacific over the coming weeks.

If you do purchase it, the dash insert will be sent to your service center, and you’ll be prompted to make a service appointment at that location. This is the same procedure as if you were getting a tow hitch installed on your Tesla by purchasing it through the Tesla app. 

The pricing includes installation by the selected service center. Tesla has indicated that the installation process should take approximately 90 minutes for the Model Y and 120 minutes for the Model 3. It would have been nice to see self-installation included, which would help reduce the cost of the part.

Future Options

This type of dash trim upgrade is something we expected when the new Model 3 was launched in 2023. The redesigned dash makes it easier to swap out trim pieces, so it’s great to see Tesla finally offering different dash trims. We speculated that Tesla might eventually introduce different dash trims—either to match the vehicle’s exterior or to provide a more premium feel—and that’s exactly what this appears to be.

It’s a welcome addition that helps owners personalize their Teslas, especially given the limited customization options available at purchase. We hope Tesla continues expanding these choices.

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