Tesla shows a "flying" Roadster: does it really fly, and how did the stock react

On the evening of October 15, 2026, Elon Musk unveiled the new Tesla Roadster at a SpaceX test site in Texas. The next day headlines called it a "flying car". Let's answer three questions: what happened, how the stock reacted and what to watch next.

TeslaSpaceX

What happened

During the demo the car launched off a ramp, flipped in the air and then hopped over five vehicles — a Cybercab, Cybertruck, Semi, Model Y and Model 3. Nobody was at the wheel; it was driven autonomously.

This is done by 10 compressed-air thrusters, fed by 600 litres of compressed air on board. But it is not real flight — Musk himself clarified that it is not about sustained flight but about hopping (CNN).

The numbers (per Tesla)

• 0–60 mph in about one second, 0.81 seconds in the test run;
• top speed above 230 mph;
• range above 300 miles;
• three versions: Performance (road), Thrust (race, with thrusters) and Rocket (single-seat, invite only);
• production in 2028, no price announced; reservations $50,000 for Performance and $250,000 for Thrust (TechCrunch).

An 11-year promise

The model was first shown in 2017, when Tesla started taking deposits. Delivery dates have slipped several times since, and an event planned for October 1 was postponed because of the weather. For early reservation holders, 2017 → 2028 is an 11-year wait.

How the stock reacted

• October 15, before the event: TSLA closed at $362.44 (−1.3%);
• October 16, before the open (07:17 ET): ~$375 (+3.5%) (StockAnalysis);
• year to date the stock is still down 19%.

Analysts are cautious. Gene Munster called the event an "engineering flex with no commercial value beyond embarrassing traditional car makers" (Yahoo Finance). There is also talk of a Tesla–SpaceX merger, but for now it is speculation — neither company has confirmed anything.

What to watch next

• October 21 — Tesla's third-quarter report. The Roadster will not bring revenue before 2028; for the stock, the current business numbers matter more.
• The short lesson: a show is not profit yet. Without answers to "when?" and "how much?", it is a promise, not a product.

TSLA's current halal screening status is on the TSLA page.

For information only — not investment advice. Prices refer to the dates shown.