Nearly nine years after Elon Musk drove a prototype out from under a Semi trailer and promised a car that would embarrass every supercar on the road, the Tesla Roadster finally has a reveal date. Tesla will show the second-generation car on October 1, 2026, in Waco, Texas. The event is billed “Go for launch”, with a teaser image that appears to show thrusters and a rear wing.
Before anyone starts counting the days to delivery, it helps to be clear about what is on offer. It’s a reveal, not a launch. Tesla is targeting production at Gigafactory Texas in 2027 or 2028.
What Tesla has confirmed about the Roadster reveal
The event takes place at 8:30 p.m. Eastern in Waco, and invitations went exclusively to reservation holders. They cannot be transferred, and RSVPs were due by September 16. Some outlets describe the 8:30 p.m. start as Waco local time instead, so check Tesla’s own channels closer to the day. Tesla had not said whether the event would be publicly streamed when the announcement went out.
For readers in Nigeria, the difference matters. If the start time is 8:30 p.m. Eastern, it is 1:30 a.m. on October 2 in Abuja and Lagos. If it is 8:30 p.m. in Waco, make it 2:30 a.m.
Waco is roughly 90 minutes north of Tesla’s Austin headquarters and within driving distance of SpaceX’s McGregor engine test facility. That is hard to read as a coincidence, given what Tesla has been hinting at.
Nine years of delays
The Roadster’s history is a long list of missed dates, which is why this announcement is getting more attention than an ordinary product teaser.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| November 2017 | The original prototype appeared on stage, and the car was promised for 2020. |
| April 2022 | Tesla reopened reservations for the standard model and Musk said production would start in 2023. |
| 2024 | Musk said the design goals had been “radically increased” and floated a sub-one-second 0-60 target. |
| November 2025 | At Tesla’s shareholder meeting, Musk set April 1, 2026 as the reveal date, admitting the pick gave him some deniability if it slipped. |
| April to August 2026 | The date slid from April to late April, then “a month or so”, then August, which passed without a reveal. |
| September 2026 | Tesla confirms October 1 in Waco. |
One report also says the car was scrapped and rebuilt from scratch along the way. Tesla, meanwhile, spent these years pushing hard on AI, robotics and autonomy, which it sees as core to future growth.
Tesla Roadster price: what we know
Short answer: nobody outside Tesla knows the final price. The 2017 figures of $200,000 for the base car and $250,000 for the Founders Series have been removed from Tesla’s website, and no replacement numbers have been published. The reservation terms describe any purchase price as an estimate. Options, hardware and packaging are still being finalized, and the real price will only be confirmed once the order configurators go live.
| Item | Figure | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Base Roadster | $200,000 (2017 promise) | Removed from Tesla’s site, likely to change |
| Founders Series | $250,000, with $50,000 down and the rest at delivery | Original tier, likely closed to new buyers |
| SpaceX package | Pricing never disclosed | Unconfirmed |
Given nine years of inflation, plus a car that has reportedly been redesigned, I would be surprised if $200,000 survives. Treat that number as a historical footnote until October 1.
Reservations: how much and can you get it back
Tesla has reopened Roadster reservations worldwide with a $50,000 refundable deposit in the US. Another report says the payment is an initial $5,000 by credit card, then a $45,000 wire transfer within 10 days. That report adds that the reservation agreement describes the full amount as refundable before any purchase agreement is signed.
Refundable does not mean risk-free. Electrek reported that YouTuber Marques Brownlee found his deposit hard to recover after eight years of waiting. As one buyer’s guide put it, this is a place in line, not a purchase. Be cautious about third-party sellers offering “transferable” deposits too, since Tesla does not officially support them.
Tesla also gets something out of the arrangement. Reopening deposits about two weeks before the event lets it capture early demand and builds an interest-free pool of capital.
SpaceX technology: the thrusters everyone is talking about
The teaser shows what look like taillamps and four circular elements that could be SpaceX-developed cold gas thrusters. Analysts who adjusted the contrast on the image also point to angular rear bodywork, a prominent wing and what appear to be thrusters on the underside. That is fan analysis. Tesla has confirmed none of it.
The claims behind the idea are dramatic. Musk has said a SpaceX package would cut 0-60 mph to about 1.1 seconds and even let the car “fly” in short bursts. Tesla has not said what it plans to demonstrate. There is also talk of a much narrower rollout for the most extreme version. Tesla has discussed a limited program for a small group of customers, possibly aimed at controlled environments like tracks. One outlet claims a federal flight restriction near the McGregor site supports the idea of a live thruster demo, but I could only find that in a single report, so hold it loosely.
The Roadster specs Tesla has promised
| Claim | Figure |
|---|---|
| 0-60 mph | Under 2 seconds (1.1 seconds with the SpaceX package) |
| Top speed | 250 mph |
| Range | 620 miles |
| Layout | 2+2 coupé with a removable glass roof |
All of these are marketing numbers until a production-intent car appears. The competition has also moved on. The Rimac Nevera has claimed 23 production-car records, including a verified 1.74-second 0-60 mph run, and hypercars from Pininfarina and BYD’s Yangwang brand have closed the gap further. The numbers that shocked people in 2017 are simply less shocking now.
What to watch on October 1
Roughly four things will decide whether this event restores any credibility:
- A price. Even a rough figure would be the first real number in years.
- A delivery window that Tesla is willing to commit to in writing.
- The design. The production model looks quite different from the curvy red 2017 concept.
- Proof of the thrusters, on stage or on video, with real data attached.
Betting markets are not optimistic. Polymarket currently puts the chance of a Roadster delivery by December 31, 2026 at 4.5%, and the 2027 window at 61%. Tesla’s own shareholder materials still describe the car as being in “design development”.
Tesla Roadster reveal FAQ
When is the Tesla Roadster reveal?
October 1, 2026, in Waco, Texas.
Can I watch it online?
Tesla had not confirmed a public stream at the time of writing.
How much does the Roadster cost?
No official price. The 2017 numbers were $200,000 and $250,000, and both have been pulled from Tesla’s site.
When will deliveries start?
Tesla is aiming at 2027 or 2028.
Will the SpaceX thrusters be included?
Not confirmed. It may be an optional package, or limited to a small group of buyers.
