Tesla CEO Elon Musk has unveiled a new version of the Tesla Roadster that he described as a flying car, during a livestreamed event at SpaceX’s facility in Texas on Thursday.
The car, equipped with ultra high-pressure air tanks and thrusters developed through collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX, launched from a steep ramp and landed on its wheels during the demonstration which was streamed on Tesla’s X account.
“Flying cars are real,” Musk said at the event, describing the project as “what happens when you have a collaboration with the world’s best car company and the world’s best rocket company.”
Musk said the vehicle would use SpaceX technology to propel itself into the air, but cautioned that its success is not guaranteed.
“Its success is not guaranteed but it will probably work,” he said.
He disclosed that the flying Roadster would go into production in 2028.
The unveiling comes amid years of technical and regulatory hurdles that have prevented the much-hyped flying car industry from taking off.
While American aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss debuted the first flying car prototype as far back as 1917, viable designs have only gained traction in recent years due to advances in electric motors and high-performance batteries.