In a move that potentially shifts the boundary between automotive engineering and aerospace, Elon Musk has officially unveiled Tesla’s new Roadster, a model that Elon Musk says will be able to fly.
The demonstration took place at SpaceX’s Texas facility on Thursday.
The two seater Roadster can go from 0 – 60 MPH in less than a second and includes Tesla’s self driving tech.
The idea combines electric vehicle technology with advanced propulsion systems inspired by aerospace engineering.
In a dramatic demo of the new models capabilities the vehicle climbed an inverted ramp to hang in the air upside down before using air jets to flip over and come to rest safely on the ground below.
Musk said it was possible for the car to cling to the ramp while being upside down due to suction technology.
However, the test was not guaranteed to succeed and Musk admits they chose not to use a human driver to ensure no one got killed.
Another demonstration later in the unveiling event showed the car using its jets to hover over a row of Parked Tesla models before landing safely on the other side. Demonstrating the vehicles ability to not just land safely but take off from the ground using its built in air jets.
The system that enables this albeit brief flight uses 10 nozzles and “ultra high-pressure air tanks” Musk revealed. It also enables the vehicle to accelerate on ground to 6o MPH in less than 1 second using some of these jets.
The concept has sparked excitement about a future in which cars could travel both on roads and briefly through the air.
However, significant challenges remain, including safety, energy efficiency, regulatory approval and affordability.
Although the technology sounds promising, details about production, pricing and availability require official confirmation.
If successful, Tesla’s vision could mark an exciting step toward the future of transportation, bringing the dream of flying cars closer to reality.
