Tesla’s long-awaited second-generation Roadster is finally getting closer to its long-promised debut. According to Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, the high-performance electric supercar is still scheduled to be unveiled and demonstrated before the end of 2025.
Speaking on the latest episode of Ride The Lightning, a Tesla-focused podcast hosted by Ryan McCaffrey, von Holzhausen reaffirmed that the Roadster’s timeline remains intact despite years of anticipation and multiple delays. “I’m excited to showcase the Roadster for a lot of different reasons,” he said. “The wait will be worth it.”
The confirmation comes after a statement earlier this year by CEO Elon Musk that Tesla would put on “the most epic demo ever” of the Roadster before the end of the year. VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy later said those comments from Musk came after he gave the CEO “some cool demos” of the Roadster.
Along with the confirmation, Von Holzhausen also teased that the upcoming Roadster will stand apart from every other Tesla in the lineup—not only in performance but also in presentation. He revealed that the vehicle will have its own dedicated range of exclusive paint finishes, separate from the standard Tesla palette.
“The Roadster will have its own complete unique set of paint options,” he said, hinting that Tesla is placing extra emphasis on craftsmanship and visual appeal for its flagship model.
In the interview, von Holzhausen suggested that the new Roadster will deliver on Musk’s long-standing promise of record-breaking performance. “The Roadster will be an amazing car that looks at the limits of physics,” he said. “We’ve really gotten to a point where we are going to be achieving that standard that we set out.”
Musk has previously claimed that the Roadster will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under two seconds, with a top speed of more than 400 km/h and a driving range exceeding 1,000 km. The car is also rumoured to include an optional “SpaceX package,” equipped with cold gas thrusters that could drop the 0-60 time to 1.1 seconds.
The Roadster is expected to serve as a halo vehicle for Tesla, showcasing the brand’s design and engineering prowess. First announced in 2017, the all-electric supercar was originally slated for production in 2020, but has been repeatedly pushed back as Tesla prioritized scaling its core vehicles like the Model 3 and Model Y.
You can listen to the full interview with von Holzhausen below.
