Thruster-equipped Tesla Roadster asks $50,000 upfront, set for 2028 production

Tesla's fundamentals are unlikely to be shifted by the Roadster. With estimated annual sales of roughly 2,000 units, the vehicle is a tiny slice of the company's overall volume, so any stock movement would stem more from sentiment and branding than from profit. Tesla's valuation is far more tied to its work in AI, robotaxi services and robotics. Although the $50,000 advance payments provide some immediate funding, the more significant investor takeaway might be the pattern of delays, which keeps execution concerns prominent.

The prior day's update:

• Barclays is anticipating a possible announcement of a Tesla-SpaceX merger before December

While the Roadster can flip in mid-air, its delivery schedule—currently targeting 2028—has a history of slipping.

In brief:

• At a SpaceX testing location in Texas on Thursday, Tesla introduced its next-gen Roadster.
• SpaceX-built thrusters allow the vehicle to perform a flip and a landing; according to Musk, acceleration from 0 to 60 mph happens in under a second, and the top speed surpasses 230 mph.
• A $5,000 initial payment plus $45,000 due within 10 days is required for reservations, while the higher-end model asks for a $250,000 deposit.
• No official price has been set, but it is anticipated to exceed $250,000.
• Production is scheduled for 2028, though deliveries were initially pledged for 2020.
• In comparison to the 1.6 million vehicles Tesla sold last year, one analyst sees only about 2,000 Roadsters selling annually.

On Thursday, Tesla at last displayed its much-delayed Roadster, featuring SpaceX-designed thrusters that allow the vehicle to flip mid-air. However, prospective buyers will need substantial funds and endurance, as production won't begin until 2028.

In McGregor, Texas, at a SpaceX testing venue, the two-seat vehicle drove inverted along a ramp before employing its thrusters to rotate and touch down. CEO Elon Musk stated that the car accelerates from zero to 60 mph in less than a second and reaches a top speed of over 230 mph, while hinting that the production model might target even more. The thruster setup comprises ten nozzles and 250 kilograms of compressed air, with Musk noting that the tanks can refill during driving. It wasn't immediately known if such stunt capabilities would be legal for road use.

Getting a slot in line comes at a high price. Tesla demands a $5,000 initial payment, then an additional $45,000 within ten days, making the total cash outlay $50,000. The upgraded model calls for a deposit of $250,000. The automaker hasn't announced a price yet, though it's believed to go beyond $250,000—far higher than the approximately $200,000 base cost mentioned at the original reveal.

The schedule is still the greatest uncertainty. Tesla initially displayed a next-generation Roadster in 2017, promising deliveries from 2020, yet multiple postponements followed. The Thursday event itself took place two weeks after a planned October 1 unveiling was delayed due to bad weather.

To investors, the Roadster serves as a branding exercise more than a revenue generator. Musk has himself downplayed its financial impact, and an equity analyst projects roughly 2,000 units sold annually, a tiny portion of the 1.6 million cars Tesla delivered last year. Tesla's market value depends largely on its advances in AI, autonomous driving and robotics, such as the Cybercab robotaxi and Optimus humanoid machines.

This positions the Roadster as a halo product—created to display engineering ambition and maintain Tesla's media visibility, not to affect profits significantly. The true challenge arrives in 2028, assuming Tesla can transform a demonstration vehicle into a production model on time. Considering the past, investors might prefer to witness it before trusting it.

Until 2028, then?