On Tuesday night, Tesla CEO Elon Musk made a series of statements that left many intrigued about the company’s upcoming product. In a post on X, Musk announced a radical increase in the design goals for the highly anticipated Tesla Roadster. However, he quickly clarified that the production design is complete and that the product is expected to be unveiled by late 2024, with shipping targeted for 2025.
In a subsequent tweet, Musk further surprised by stating that the acceleration time from 0 to 60 mph for the model is now less than a second, a significant improvement over the previously announced 1.9 seconds. Additionally, he hinted that this improvement is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the innovations this vehicle could offer, suggesting it could become the most impressive product demonstration of all time.
This announcement comes after years of anticipation since the new Roadster was unveiled in 2017 as a prototype destined for production. At that time, it was touted with a 620-mile range, and Tesla began accepting reservations with hopes of delivering the model by 2020. Initial prices ranged from $50,000 to $250,000, depending on performance, with a Founders Series leading the lineup and encompassing the first 1,000 reservations.
However, the road to production has been bumpy, with Tesla postponing the Roadster project several times over the years. In documents filed with the SEC in 2010, Tesla confirmed plans for a second-generation Roadster slated for 2013, shortly after the Model S launch. However, this project has been repeatedly delayed, with Tesla pushing back the Roadster’s release until 2023 in 2021.
