Tesla vice president of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy has pushed back on doubts about the new Roadster’s cold-gas thruster system, saying the flight-capable setup shown at last week’s reveal is meant for production and can produce more than 80 kilonewtons (kN) of force.
Tesla finally unveiled the next-generation Roadster on October 15, and the top-of-the-range Rocket version stole the show by lifting off the ground during two flight demonstrations. As we explained at the time, the system stores compressed air in two carbon-fibre tanks with a combined 600-litre capacity, which is released through 10 nozzles, and it works alongside a fan suction system that can hold the car upside down while stationary.
Moravy has since shared more details on the battery and powertrain, which we rounded up in what we’ve learned about the Roadster since its reveal.
Not everyone was convinced by the flying demo, though. X user Tom Ford, who said he had sat in the Roadster, wrote on X that the ‘basic’ car is “eminently real,” but argued “the physics are off” on the flying version and that it “couldn’t brake/rotate in the air like that at ‘car’ weight.”
Moravy replied directly, walking through the numbers behind the thrusters.
“We don’t show things that we can’t do in production. The cold gas system can produce over 80kN of force. If everything weighs even a ridiculously high 2500 kg with the mass of gas plus the thruster system, the lift from the thrusters is >3x the mass of the vehicle. When you have more lift than mass, you can get off the ground, when it’s that much more over time you have spare air to flip and manuever – simple math really….” Moravy wrote.
The comments are a clear signal that Tesla intends to deliver the Roadster’s headline trick rather than treat it as a one-off stunt, though production isn’t scheduled to begin until 2028. Elon Musk has already said the Roadster will perform its stunts autonomously, so how owners will actually be allowed to use that thrust remains to be seen.
Related Articles:
- Tesla Roadster finally revealed with thrusters, sub-one-second acceleration and ability to fly…actually
- Tesla’s Roadster Can Actually Fly – Here’s How
- Tesla Roadster’s Fan Suction System Generates Enough Downforce to Hold It Upside Down
- What we’ve learned about the new Tesla Roadster since its reveal
Always get the latest - make Drive Tesla your preferred source on Google
Are you buying a Tesla? If you enjoy our content and we helped in your decision, use our referral link to get three months of Full Self-Driving (FSD).Drive Tesla uses affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
