Tesla reportedly nears unveiling of a speculative flying Roadster

Tesla is reportedly planning to unveil a redesigned Roadster, first shown as a prototype with reservations in 2017. The new design has not been publicly revealed, and earlier plans for the vehicle have been repeatedly delayed.

The expected demonstration could take place at SpaceX’s testing site in McGregor, Texas, and may feature a limited-edition Roadster using cold-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX. Reported plans include a magnetized roller-coaster-style ramp, upside-down driving, automatic righting and brief hovering.

The format remains uncertain, including whether the event will be livestreamed. The vehicle is expected to be remotely operated without anyone inside, while spectators could be positioned several hundred yards away because of noise and vibrations. Elon Musk has warned Tesla staff that the difficult demonstration could go awry, and it is still unclear what Tesla will count as “flying.”