Tesla’s newly revealed Roadster could be headed for one of the most ambitious automotive stunts ever attempted. During Thursday’s unveiling at SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas test facility, Elon Musk suggested the company could attempt to fly the electric sports car across Idaho’s Snake River Canyon.
The idea would recreate Evel Knievel’s infamous 1974 attempt to cross the canyon, but this time using a Tesla Roadster equipped with a compressed-gas thruster system capable of lifting the vehicle off the ground.
Knievel’s original attempt involved a steam-powered rocket called the Skycycle X-2. The stunt ended in failure when its parachute deployed prematurely, sending Knievel down into the canyon. He survived, but the attempted jump became one of the most memorable moments of his career.
Tesla has spent years promising that its next-generation Roadster would offer capabilities beyond those of a conventional sports car. Those promises finally became reality during the October 15 unveiling, when the company demonstrated the Roadster flying twice in front of an audience.
Near the end of the livestream, Musk floated the possibility of taking things even further.
“So we’re going to have actually a follow-on demo… I don’t know if this is possible or not, but some people may know about Evel Knievel’s attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon.”
The response on stage was immediate: “Oh yeah, let’s give it another shot.”
The discussion then turned to speed. Tesla says the Roadster’s Rocket configuration can exceed 230 mph (370 km/h), but Musk suggested the canyon attempt could require something closer to Mach 0.5, roughly half the speed of sound.
“Where we’re going you don’t need tires,” Musk joked.
No date or specific plans were announced for the stunt. Tesla also hasn’t confirmed whether the idea will become an official demonstration.
For now, the company’s focus remains on bringing the Roadster into production in 2028.
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- Tesla reschedules Roadster reveal to October 15 due to bad weather
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