Tesla showed its new Roadster flipping midair and jumping over cars with SpaceX style thrusters on 15 October 2026. Specs, 2028 launch, legal questions and UAE outlook.
Tesla showed its new Roadster flipping midair and jumping over cars with SpaceX style thrusters on 15 October 2026. Specs, 2028 launch, legal questions and UAE outlook.
Last updated: 16 October 2026
Breaking: Tesla has finally shown its long delayed new Roadster, and it did something no production car has done in public before. At a livestreamed event on 15 October 2026, the car drove up a curved ramp, went upside down, launched into the air, rolled 180 degrees and landed back on its wheels. "Flying cars are real," Elon Musk told the crowd.
The reveal took place at a SpaceX test site near Waco, Texas, and was streamed live on Tesla's X account. The event had been pushed back several times, including from 1 October because of bad weather.
In the first stunt, a fan suction system under the car held it to a ramp that curled over, so the Roadster was briefly driving upside down before it shot off the end, flipped in midair and landed. In a second run, the car used thrusters to jump over a row of Tesla vehicles, including a Cybertruck, a Semi, a Model Y and a Model 3. There was no driver inside during the stunts. After the first landing, Musk simply said: "Well, it worked."
Musk shared footage of the demo on X shortly after the event.
Turns out the future does have flying cars pic.twitter.com/6fexPp6SXI
Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 16, 2026
If the video does not load, watch it on X.
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It is not a plane and it does not have wings. According to Tesla and reports from TechCrunch, the Roadster uses cold gas thrusters fed by compressed air tanks, a technology borrowed from SpaceX rockets. Tesla engineering chief Lars Moravy said the fan system underneath can "pull up to 2 Gs", which is what lets the car cling to an upside down surface.
Tesla says the air tanks can be refilled. The thrusters give short bursts of lift and spin, so think of controlled jumps and flips rather than flying across the city.
Tesla's own website says the flying features are not approved for public roads. The US Federal Aviation Administration told CBS News the car does not meet its definition of an aircraft, and it is still unclear which agency would oversee it. A senior US Transportation Department official was also sceptical that it can really take off in everyday use.
Analyst Dan Ives said the Roadster will not move Tesla's sales numbers much because production will be limited, but it helps the brand's image a week before Tesla's quarterly results on 21 October.
There is no UAE price or launch date yet. With production planned for 2028 and the flight system still awaiting approval even in the US, UAE buyers will have a long wait. The road going Performance version is the one most likely to arrive here first, once Tesla confirms regional plans.
In the meantime, if you want a fast electric car today, the UAE used car market already has plenty of Tesla Model 3, Model Y and Model S options. You can browse used cars on MotorCar or sell your car to make room for something new.
Your car may not fly yet, but it still needs regular care in the UAE heat. These offers from verified garages are live on MotorCar right now:
See all car service offers. Prices are correct on 16 October 2026 and voucher numbers are limited.
It can make short controlled jumps and flips using cold gas thrusters, as shown in the 15 October 2026 demo. It cannot fly like a plane or a drone.
Tesla says production will start in 2028.
Tesla has not announced a price yet. Reservations are open on its website.
No UAE launch has been announced. The flight features are not approved for public roads even in the US.
Sources: CNN, BBC, CBS News, TechCrunch, Euronews, NBC News. Header image is illustrative (Pexels, David Viorel).
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