AI illustration: Tesla Roadster enters production
Pending

Tesla Roadster release date: every promise since 2014

When will the new Tesla Roadster come out?

On June 3, 2014, Elon Musk first promised the new Tesla Roadster for 2019, then moved the date 8 times; the current target is 2028. It hasn't happened yet, with 790 days left. Verdict as of November 2, 2026: still pending. twoweeks.lol tracks 6 Musk claims about the Tesla Roadster (9 statements): 4 delivered (3 on time), 1 missed or cancelled, 1 still pending.

9 deadlines for one promise, moved 8 times. 6 have passed.
said 2014todayDate 1 of 9: 2019 · deadline passed · said Jun 3, 2014Date 2 of 9: 2020 · deadline passedDate 3 of 9: 2022 · deadline passedDate 4 of 9: 2023 · deadline passedDate 5 of 9: 2024 · deadline passedDate 6 of 9: 2025 · deadline passedDate 7 of 9: 2026 · replaced by a later dateDate 8 of 9: 2027 · replaced by a later dateDate 9 of 9: 2028 · still open · said Oct 15, 2026
goalposts: 2019 → 2020 → 2022 → 2023 → 2024 → 2025 → 2026 → 2027 → 2028 · moved 8×
Embed this chart<iframe src="https://twoweeks.lol/embed/goalposts/tesla-roadster-production/" width="100%" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:720px" title="Tesla Roadster enters production: every deadline Elon Musk gave" loading="lazy"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px">Source: <a href="https://twoweeks.lol/predictions/tesla-roadster-production/">twoweeks.lol</a> Elon Musk prediction tracker</p>
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“We expected this to be available in 2020.”
What actually happened

Pending until December 31, 2028. Fetched Oct 30 2026: Wikipedia Tesla Roadster (second generation) still lists production as yet to commence, planned for 2028. The Oct 15 McGregor event was an unveil, not the start of production. Wikipedia — Tesla Roadster (2nd gen), fetched Oct 30 2026: production yet to commence, planned 2028 ↗

The Progression

3 STATEMENTS · ONE CLAIM

In June 2014 Musk said a next-generation Roadster was "probably" five years away. Tesla showed it in November 2017 and said it would be available in 2020, with about 620 miles of range from a 200 kWh pack. In 2018 he added a SpaceX option package with about 10 small rocket thrusters. In 2024 he said it would do 0-60 mph in under one second and that it could fly.

After 2020 the production year kept moving: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. In July 2025 he promised the "most epic demo ever" by the end of that year. No demo came in 2025. In 2026 the debut moved from April, to "a month or so" after April 22, to an October 1 unveil set in September. Tesla held it on October 15, 2026, at SpaceX's McGregor test site.

At that event the car flew on cold-gas thrusters, the top trim had 10 of them, and Tesla showed a 0.81-second 0-60 run on its own clock. Range was listed at more than 300 miles, so the 620-mile spec is gone. On stage Musk said, "We enter production in 2028." Production has not started. The first year he gave for the car was 2019.

Elon Musk first made this promise on Jun 3, 2014, with a deadline of Dec 31, 2019. He has said it 3 times on the record. 1 of those statements pushed the date later. The latest target is Dec 31, 2028. It has not happened yet.

Jun 3, 2014
First promise · due Dec 31, 2019
“in terms of a next generation roadster that's probably, I don't know, five years away” · Tesla Shareholder Meeting (June 3, 2014), video, ~00:54:03 00:54:03 ↗
Missed · 2,498 days past due
Nov 16, 2017
Goalpost moved · due Dec 31, 2028
“We expected this to be available in 2020.” · Tesla Semi & Roadster Unveil, Nov 16 2019 (Tesla official YouTube), ~33:29 ↗
Pending
Oct 15, 2026
Restated · due Dec 31, 2028
“We enter production in 2028.” · Tesla official YouTube — Roadster Event, Oct 15 2026 (Elon Musk speaking) ↗
Pending
Today · Nov 2, 2026
Verdict on the claim: Pending · 790 days left. 3 statements, goalpost moved 8×.

At the November 2017 Tesla Semi and Roadster unveiling, Musk floated a $200,000 starting price for the next-generation Roadster and indicated deliveries would begin by 2020. The announcement put the new sports car about three years from customers' driveways. The 2020 deadline passed without production beginning.

Every statement, dated

9 STATEMENTS · AS OF NOVEMBER 2, 2026
Every statement Elon Musk made on the Tesla Roadster, oldest first. Outcome is how each statement was graded on its own.
Date saidWhat he saidDeadline givenSourceOutcome
“in terms of a next generation roadster that's probably, I don't know, five years away”end of 2019Tesla Shareholder Meeting (June…Missed · 2,498 days past due
“We expected this to be available in 2020.”end of 2028Tesla Semi & Roadster Unveil…Pending · 790 days left
“The 200-kWh battery is said to provide up to 620 miles of range.”end of 2027Tesla Semi & Roadster Unveil…Cancelled · shelved
“SpaceX option package for new Tesla Roadster will include ~10 small rocket thrusters arranged seamlessly around car. These rocket engines…”end of 2027Musk tweet, Jun 9 2018…Delivered · on time
“0-60mph < 1 sec. And that is the least interesting part”end of 2027Musk tweet, Feb 28 2024Delivered · on time
“The new Tesla Roadster can fly.”end of 2027Musk X post, Jun 15 2024Delivered · on time
“Just left the @Tesla design studio. Most epic demo ever by end of year. Ever.”end of 2025@elonmusk on X, Jul 13 2025 (US…Missed · 306 days past due
“New Tesla Roadster Unveil 10.01”Oct 15, 2026@elonmusk on X, Sep 12 2026…Delivered · on time
“We enter production in 2028.”end of 2028Tesla official YouTube…Pending · 790 days left

Every other Tesla Roadster promise

5 MORE CLAIMS ON THIS PAGE
Cancelledshelved

Roadster 620 mile range

“The 200-kWh battery is said to provide up to 620 miles of range.”
Elon Musk · said Nov 16, 2017 · due Dec 31, 2027 · Tesla Semi & Roadster Unveil (Tesla official, YouTube) ↗ · #93

What happened: The 2017 unveil claimed ~620 miles from a 200 kWh pack. At the Oct 15 2026 McGregor reveal Tesla listed more than 300 miles of range for every trim (Wikipedia: 310–320 mi claimed). That is an official drop of the 620-mile spec, not a pending test of it. Cancelled — the goal was abandoned — rather than waiting out the 2027 deadline. Wikipedia — Tesla Roadster (2nd gen), fetched Oct 17 2026: 310–320 mi claimed at 2026 reveal; 620-mile 2017 spec dropped ↗

Deliveredon time

Roadster SpaceX package with thrusters

“SpaceX option package for new Tesla Roadster will include ~10 small rocket thrusters arranged seamlessly around car. These rocket engines dramatically improve acceleration, top speed, braking & cornering. Maybe they will even allow a Tesla to fly …”
Elon Musk · said Jun 9, 2018 · due Dec 31, 2027 · Musk tweet, Jun 9 2018 (original SpaceX-package claim) ↗ · #94

What happened: On Oct 15 2026 Tesla revealed the new Roadster at SpaceX's McGregor site with SpaceX cold-gas thrusters. Its top "Rocket" trim has 10 cold-gas thrusters positioned around the car, close to the ~10 Musk promised in 2018, and the demo used them to accelerate, drive inverted and fly. The rear-thruster "Thrust" trim gives sub-one-second 0-60. Tesla is taking reservations (Rocket is invite-only). Production is 2028, but this card is the package's existence and contents, which Tesla showed and listed on Oct 15 2026, before the 2027 deadline. TechCrunch Oct 15 2026 (fetched Oct 18): Rocket trim with 10 cold-gas thrusters around the car; TechCrunch ties it to Musk's 2018 tweet ↗

Deliveredon time

Roadster 0-60 in under 1 second

“0-60mph < 1 sec. And that is the least interesting part”
Elon Musk · said Feb 28, 2024 · due Dec 31, 2027 · Musk tweet, Feb 28 2024 ↗ · #92

What happened: At the Oct 15 2026 McGregor reveal Tesla listed sub-one-second 0-60 mph for the rear-thruster "Thrust" trim and showed a 0.81-second run on its own clock (not independently timed). That meets the claim as a published spec plus public demo, the same standard used for "Roadster can fly" (#95). Production cars arrive in 2028; independent timing will come then. TechCrunch Oct 15 2026 (fetched Oct 18): Thrust trim, rear cold-gas thrusters, sub-one-second 0-60; 0.81 s on Tesla's clock at the event ↗

Deliveredon time

Tesla Roadster flew at the October 2026 McGregor demo

“The new Tesla Roadster can fly.”
Elon Musk · said Jun 15, 2024 · due Dec 31, 2027 · Musk X post, Jun 15 2024 ↗ · #95

What happened: On Oct 15 2026 Tesla publicly flew the next-gen Roadster on cold-gas thrusters at SpaceX's McGregor test site: inverted-ramp, mid-air kickflip, and a hop over a line of Teslas. Musk posted 'Turns out the future does have flying cars.' Tesla listed an invite-only Rocket trim as 'air ready.' The 2024 claim was that the new Roadster can fly; the public demo met that by the 2027 deadline. TechCrunch Oct 15 2026 (fetched Oct 17) — Roadster flew at McGregor; Musk said it is the actual car ↗

Delivered · Late0.8 years late

'Most epic demo ever' by end of 2025

“Just left the @Tesla design studio. Most epic demo ever by end of year. Ever.”
Elon Musk · said Jul 14, 2025 · due Dec 31, 2025 · @elonmusk on X, Jul 13 2025 (US time) ↗ · #307
3 deadlines for one promise, moved 2 times. 2 have passed.
said 2025todayDate 1 of 3: 2025 · deadline passed · said Jul 14, 2025Date 2 of 3: 2026-10-01 (New Tesla Roadster Unveil 10.01) · deadline passedDate 3 of 3: 2026-10-15 (postponed by 2 weeks / QT Tesla Oct 15) · delivered late
goalposts: 2025 → 2026-10-01 (New Tesla Roadster Unveil 10.01) → 2026-10-15 (postponed by 2 weeks / QT Tesla Oct 15) · moved 2×
Embed this chart<iframe src="https://twoweeks.lol/embed/goalposts/most-epic-demo-ever-by-end-of-2025/" width="100%" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:720px" title="'Most epic demo ever' by end of 2025: every deadline Elon Musk gave" loading="lazy"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px">Source: <a href="https://twoweeks.lol/predictions/tesla-roadster-production/#most-epic-demo-ever-by-end-of-2025">twoweeks.lol</a> Elon Musk prediction tracker</p>

Elon Musk first made this promise on Jul 14, 2025, with a deadline of Dec 31, 2025. He has said it 2 times on the record. 1 of those statements pushed the date later. It happened on Oct 15, 2026, 0.8 years late against the first deadline.

Jul 14, 2025
First promise · due Dec 31, 2025
“Just left the @Tesla design studio. Most epic demo ever by end of year. Ever.” · @elonmusk on X, Jul 13 2025 (US time) ↗
Missed · 306 days past due
Sep 12, 2026
Goalpost moved · due Oct 15, 2026
“New Tesla Roadster Unveil 10.01” · @elonmusk on X, Sep 12 2026 evening CT ↗
Delivered · on time
Oct 15, 2026
Delivered · Late — 0.8 years late. Tesla unveiled the second-generation Roadster on October 15 2026 at SpaceX's McGregor rocket-test site near Waco, livestreamed on X. The demo used SpaceX cold-gas thrusters and a suction system to drive upside down, flip, and land; Musk said production starts in 2028. Deadline was Oct 15 after Elon's Sep 29 two-week weather postponement. Delivered on the current deadline. TechCrunch Oct 15 2026 (fetched Oct 16) — Tesla revealed the Roadster at McGregor; demo held ↗
Today · Nov 2, 2026
Verdict on the claim: Delivered · Late · 0.8 years late. 2 statements, goalpost moved 2×.
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LAST CHECKED 2026-10-29

Questions and answers

How many times has Elon Musk delayed the Tesla Roadster?

Elon Musk has moved the date 8 times for the new Tesla Roadster. He first set it for 2019; the current target is 2028.

Has the new Tesla Roadster been released?

No. As of November 2, 2026, Elon Musk's promise of the new Tesla Roadster has not come true; the current target is 2028. Pending until December 31, 2028. Fetched Oct 30 2026: Wikipedia Tesla Roadster (second generation) still lists production as yet to commence, planned for 2028. The Oct 15 McGregor event was an unveil, not the start of production. (Wikipedia — Tesla Roadster (2nd gen), fetched Oct 30 2026: production yet to commence, planned 2028)

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Tesla’s record

Delivered
86
63% of resolved claims delivered.
Missed
51
Deadline passed, still no-show.
Still open
36
On the clock now. All 173 Tesla claims →
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