Tesla has officially opened reservations in India for its redesigned second-generation Roadster, a high-performance electric sports car featuring SpaceX cold-gas thrusters and a planned 2028 production start, with deposits ranging from five lakh rupees to millions.
Nearly two decades after the first-generation Roadster debuted in 2008, and roughly nine years after the initial prototype was shown in 2017, Tesla is pushing forward with its next-generation sports car. Following a live-streamed launch event at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, the company has officially opened reservations for the vehicle across global markets, including India’s official Tesla website.
Editions, Reservation Pricing, and Three Distinct Performance Tiers
The revived Roadster is offered in three distinct configurations, each featuring varying levels of performance and hardware. The entry-level Performance variant is a traditional two-seat road-going sports car equipped with an active rear wing and a multi-mode suction system that increases downforce. The mid-tier Thrust variant incorporates cold-gas thrusters mounted on the rear wheels for track use. Meanwhile, the top-tier Rocket variant features a single-seat layout with perimeter-rounded cold-gas thrusters designed for forward, upward, and rotational acceleration.
Tesla Roadster Reservations are open in India too for some reason !!!🚀Performance – Rs. 50 lakhThurst – Rs. 2.5 CroreRocket – Invite Only pic.twitter.com/PuHDFzywTR
Tesla has established a tiered reservation structure requiring an initial payment of five lakh rupees on its Indian reservation portal before completing the remainder of the deposit. The range-topping Rocket edition is strictly available by direct invitation from the company.
Aerospace Engineering and Cold-Gas Thruster Technology
The vehicle’s engineering draws direct inspiration from aerospace design, utilizing styling cues from SR-71 Blackbird and F-35 fighter aircraft. To minimize weight, the body is constructed from lightweight, high-strength materials including magnesium, titanium, and carbon fiber, while manual controls and fixed seating arrangements further trim excess mass.
During the live demonstration in Texas, a prototype vehicle equipped with an underbody fan system generated suction to hold itself against an inverted curved ramp, subsequently utilizing its thrusters to leap across parked Tesla vehicles. The cold-gas thruster system relies on ultra-high-pressure air tanks rather than traditional jet fuel, capable of being automatically recharged by on-board compressors.
Acceleration Claims and Unresolved Regulatory Hurdles
Tesla boasts staggering performance metrics for the vehicle, claiming acceleration from zero to 96 or 100 kilometers per hour in under a second across its upper configurations. Specifically, the Performance variant is designed to hit 96 kilometers per hour in 1.6 seconds, the Thrust variant in 0.81 seconds, and the Rocket edition in just 0.59 seconds. The car targets a top speed of 370 kilometers per hour and an estimated range of 483 kilometers on a full charge, with some projections citing up to 1,000 kilometers.
Despite the high-profile rollout, significant questions remain regarding public road legality. Automotive experts note that long-distance flight capabilities and the use of air thrusters have not yet been proven for standard highway use, and local transportation laws do not currently provide legal clearance for such systems on public streets.
Production Timeline and Delivery Expectations
Production for the second-generation Roadster is scheduled to begin in 2028, with deliveries anticipated to follow roughly a year later. While reservation books are currently open, final vehicle pricing, exact battery capacities, motor outputs, and delivery schedules have not been finalized. Furthermore, while initial production will feature left-hand drive configurations, timelines for right-hand drive manufacturing intended for markets like India remain unannounced.
