Tesla to Demo Flying Roadster in August
Tesla is targeting an unveiling of its long‑delayed next‑generation Roadster as early as August 2026, planning a dramatic demonstration of SpaceX‑developed cold‑gas thrusters at SpaceX’s testing site in McGregor, Texas, according to three sources cited by The Information. The prototype slated for the stunt is internally code‑named “A71,” will be remotely operated with no driver, is not street‑legal, and is expected to cost anywhere from several hundred thousand to potentially millions of dollars. Spectators are to be positioned several hundred yards from the vehicle because the high‑pressure gas thrusters could cause hearing damage, and it has not been confirmed whether the event will be broadcast live or released as recorded footage.
Tesla’s stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) rose 1.3% in pre‑market trading following the report, providing a rare positive catalyst for a share price that has shed nearly a quarter of its value in 2026, while the Nasdaq index has risen roughly 15% over the same period. Shares of air‑taxi peers Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation each declined about 2% in pre‑market trading on the news.
The “A71” version follows a decade‑long series of missed deadlines. Tesla first unveiled a Roadster prototype in November 2017, promising a 0‑60 mph time of 1.9 seconds and a 2020 delivery target, but the program has missed at least eight internal milestones. The flying capability, enabled by an optional SpaceX cold‑gas thruster package, has repeatedly proved unready for public showing. As late as April 2026, Tesla and SpaceX presented Musk with a thruster prototype that still was not ready, pushing the planned reveal from April to August.
Lars Moravy, Tesla’s Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, confirmed that the Roadster is “definitely in development,” noting that the team discussed the demo last Sunday night and is “gearing up for a super cool demo” that will be “mind‑blowing.” He said the team showed Elon Musk some recent tech demos that excited him. On August 12, Musk posted on X, “You will get flying cars,” in response to a comment about society receiving AI instead of flying cars, reigniting speculation, although he did not name Tesla or the Roadster explicitly.
Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, speaking on Jay Leno’s Garage (reported August 10), reiterated that the Roadster is coming “very soon,” repeating the phrase when pressed, while Leno noted the car has been promised for just shy of ten years.
Musk has warned internal staff that the demonstration will be hard to execute and could go awry, but he reportedly said it would be entertaining regardless. Earlier plans shown to Musk included the car racing onto a magnetized roller‑coaster‑like ramp, driving upside down, and hovering; these elements have since been scaled back.
Tesla has internally discussed allowing “super‑fans” to purchase the track‑only demonstration car, which would carry SpaceX branding, through a program modeled on Ferrari’s XX Programme, where owners drive race cars under supervision. No official delivery date exists for holders of standard Roadster reservations, who placed $250,000 deposits nearly a decade ago.
The Roadster reveal also highlights the deepening integration between Tesla and SpaceX. On Tesla’s Q2 2026 earnings call on July 23, Musk acknowledged growing collaboration across AI and robotics but stopped short of confirming a merger, stating such an event would require “the appropriate process.” The two companies are co‑investing in Terafab, a Texas AI‑chip facility that also involves Intel.
For Tesla’s stock, the Roadster remains more a symbolic showcase than a direct revenue driver.