Tesla to demonstrate hovering Roadster this month... Cannot be driven on public roads

"Tesla to demonstrate hovering Roadster this month... Cannot be driven on public roads"

Due to noise and vibration, the demonstration will proceed without a driver... Pre-orders received in 2017, launch delayed for 9 years

It is reported that Elon Musk's electric car company Tesla plans to demonstrate its flying sports car, the 'Roadster', as early as this month.

Tesla is planning a new Roadster demonstration event at the SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, and intends to showcase the vehicle's hovering capabilities at this event, according to a report by U.S. IT specialized media The Information on the 15th (local time), citing multiple sources.

Initially, this demonstration was planned to be like a sci-fi movie scene, where the Roadster would race up a roller coaster-like ramp with magnets attached, drive upside down, then return to its normal posture and float in the air.

However, CEO Musk reportedly postponed the public demonstration schedule after an internal demonstration and subsequently scaled back some elements.

The Roadster uses cold gas thrusters to hover. This is the result of collaboration with engineers from SpaceX's Starship propulsion team.

However, since tremendous noise and vibration can occur at this time, this demonstration is expected to proceed without anyone on board.

Also, due to concerns about hearing damage, spectators gathered at the site will watch the demonstration from several hundred meters away from the vehicle.

The limited edition Roadster equipped with a hovering function is not allowed to be driven on public roads, and its price is expected to reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Sources said that Tesla has internally discussed a method of selling such demonstration vehicles, similar to Ferrari's 'XX program', which allows vehicle owners to drive race cars under supervision.

It has not been confirmed whether Tesla will livestream or record and broadcast this demonstration.

The Roadster is a product that Musk has shown particular affection for on several occasions.

Tesla sold the first generation Roadster, its first product and the world's first electric sports car, from 2008 to 2012.

CEO Musk even sent his first-generation Roadster into space during a SpaceX rocket launch in 2018. This vehicle is currently orbiting the sun.

Tesla first unveiled the new Roadster in 2017 and began taking pre-orders with a deposit of $50,000 (approximately 70 million won), but its launch and demonstration have been repeatedly postponed, and it has not yet been released for sale almost 9 years later.

CEO Musk appeared on a podcast last November and stated that the Roadster would have the ability to fly and that he planned to unveil it as early as the end of that year, but the actual demonstration did not take place.

He then announced again that it would be unveiled in early June this year, but this was also postponed.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, even mocked Musk, his rival, on social media (SNS) last November during a heated exchange, revealing an email from 2018 where he pre-ordered the Roadster and saying, "7.5 years is too long to wait."