A Tesla Roadster Thrust reservation now requires a $250,000 US deposit on Tesla’s updated Roadster page. The automaker unveiled its redesigned electric hypercar on October 15, 2026, at SpaceX’s test facility in McGregor, Texas. Nearly nine years after its 2017 concept debut, Tesla split the second-generation coupe into three distinct configurations. Buyers can choose between Performance, Thrust, and an invite-only Rocket version. However, Tesla still has not disclosed final retail vehicle prices in its US reservation flow. In addition, CEO Elon Musk said the company targets a 2028 production start.
Tesla Roadster Thrust Reservation and US Deposit Rules
Tesla structures the redesigned Roadster lineup around aerodynamic suction and optional SpaceX cold-gas propulsion hardware. Specifically, the entry-level Performance configuration is a road-ready two-seater with steer-by-wire controls and an active rear wing. It also uses a multi-mode underbody fan suction system to generate cornering downforce without cold-gas thrusters. In the US reservation flow, ordering the Performance tier requires an immediate $5,000 payment. Buyers must then send a $45,000 payment within 10 days, bringing the total reservation deposit to $50,000.
Meanwhile, the two-seat Thrust configuration adds rear-mounted SpaceX cold-gas thrusters alongside the underbody suction system. On its product page, Tesla states that the race-ready Thrust package reaches 60 mph in under one second. During its live Texas demonstration, the company clocked a sprint at 0.81 seconds. Securing a US Tesla Roadster Thrust reservation requires a $5,000 initial payment plus $245,000 due within 10 days for a $250,000 total deposit. Furthermore, Tesla limits the Thrust configuration to one order per customer and notes that regional legal requirements apply. Buyers must complete the 10-day payment to finalize the reservation, or Tesla may cancel the order after the deadline.
Visually, the redesigned coupe swaps the rounded curves of the 2017 prototype for sharper creases. In its official Roadster design post on X, Tesla says the new bodywork draws inspiration from the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird and F-35 fighter jet.
At the top of the lineup sits the single-seat Rocket configuration, which Tesla offers by invitation only. In addition to rear jets, the Rocket tier places cold-gas thrusters around the vehicle’s perimeter. Tesla states that all-electric actuators adjust those thrusters in a fraction of a second. As a result, the perimeter jets support forward and upward acceleration, lateral rotational movement, and short bursts of flight.
Inverted Ramp Demo and Public-Road Restrictions
The McGregor showcase arrived two weeks after Tesla postponed its original October 1 Roadster reveal date. To demonstrate the hardware, Tesla used an unmanned, pre-programmed prototype. An Optimus humanoid robot sat in the driver’s seat purely for show. First, the car drove slowly up a vertical C-shaped ramp and stopped upside-down on the overhead section. Its underbody suction system sealed the chassis against the surface to hold the inverted coupe in place.
Next, the unmanned coupe climbed the ramp a second time and launched inverted off the top edge. It then flipped in mid-air and fired its cold-gas jets to hover and cushion its landing. In a separate stunt, the vehicle vaulted over a row of parked Tesla models, completed a barrel roll, and landed cleanly. Musk said on stage that the thrusters run on compressed air from an onboard rechargeable tank rather than special rocket propellant.
What Buyers Should Know Before Wiring Six Figures
Tesla’s product and reservation disclosures set explicit limits on where buyers can purchase and drive the top tiers. On the Roadster product page, Tesla explicitly marks the single-seat Rocket configuration as “Not approved for public road use.” The company also notes that the Rocket model is unavailable in some regions. For the two-seat Thrust package, Tesla’s US order page states that regional legal requirements apply and limits reservations to one vehicle per customer.
Prospective buyers also commit $50,000 or $250,000 within 10 days without knowing the final purchase price for any of the three configurations. During the presentation, Musk cautioned attendees that “this is not necessarily a safety-optimized car.” He also framed the Roadster as the “last best driver’s car” while Tesla shifts focus toward autonomous Cybercab robotaxis ahead of the coupe’s targeted 2028 production rollout.
