Is the second-generation Tesla Roadster overoptimistic?

The Roadster was a glimpse into Tesla's future

You might remember the Tesla Roadster as the car that skyrocketed Tesla to one of the most popular EV manufacturers today. Produced from 2008 to 2012, the Lotus Elise-based Roadster was the first highway-legal electric car to use lithium-ion batteries and the first to have a range of 244 miles per charge.

The Roadster's single 3-phase electric motor produces a maximum of 288 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque in the 2.5 Sport model. In 2016, Tesla offered a battery upgrade that increased the battery capacity from 53 kWh to 80 kWh and the range to 340 miles. About 2,450 Tesla Roadsters were sold in total.

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The second-gen Roadster was supposed to be released in 2020

The successor to the Tesla Roadster was announced back in 2017 as a 2+2 coupe with pre-orders available with a $50,000 deposit. The 2nd gen Roadster will reportedly be powered by three motors mated to a 200 kWh battery with 620 miles of range, a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, and a top speed of 250+ mph. Torque figures are said to be around 7,400 lb-ft. Those are wild specs, to say the least.

For comparison purposes, the Rimac Nevera is currently the fastest EV production car and holds the record for the fastest 0-60 mph time of 1.74 seconds. With four motors powering it, it can reach a top speed of 258 mph.

The upcoming Roadster faced numerous delays and out-of-this-world claims

Although initial shipping dates were set in 2020, the Roadster’s sequel faced multiple delays. The latest schedule now projects a reveal by the end of 2024, with shipments beginning in 2025. Musk has, of course, made even wilder claims about the second-gen Tesla Roadster.

One of the supposed trim levels will be a SpaceX collaboration that would "include ~10 small rocket cold air thrusters arranged seamlessly around the car". Not only would this improve speed and handling, with a claimed 1.1 second 0–60 mph time, but it would also be able to fly.

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Recent update calls the Roadster "the cherry on the icing"

The most recent update came last month during a Tesla earnings call where Elon called the upcoming Roadster "not just the icing on the cake, it’s the cherry on the icing on the cake." He mentioned that other models have to be released first for sustainability reasons before the Roadster can come out.

During that earnings call, Musk also doubled down on the decision to not make a sub-$25k car. Instead, the autonomous Robotaxi will fill that void as Musk envisions an all-autonomous future. Sure.

Elon's promised Tesla Roadster seems a little optimistic

A fully-autonomous Robotaxi with no steering wheels or pedals already seems like more of a stretch than a Stretch Armstrong. A flying Tesla Roadster would be beyond a stretch. I can't even begin to imagine the FAA ramifications or the insurance costs of a flying car slamming down on you from 100 feet in the air.

Now I'm not against Jetsons-like flying cars, but I don't think our vehicular infrastructure is remotely close to such a promised future. There are so many things that would need to happen before flying cars are viable that there is no way Elon's SpaceX package would arrive with the first Roadsters in 2025. Call me a pessimist, but I think the Roadster we'll end up getting won't live up to all the hype.

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