We have been waiting a long time to see the new Tesla Roadster EV. The original Roadster was unveiled in 2008 as a battery-electric sports car based on the Lotus Elise chassis, and it was the first production car from the electric car brand.
Since then, a new version has been in the works, with the concept revealed in November 2017. However, it’s been a very long time coming, with multiple delays and various deadlines coming and going. It is fair to say the new Roadster has not had an easy birth.
However, it looks like things are about to change at long last. Tesla recently posted a teaser that suggested the launch of the new Roadster will take place in October 2026, with production set to start either in 2027 or 2028 at the Gigafactory in Texas. It would be ten years since the concept was first shown off. A countdown to the launch has also appeared on the Tesla Roadster’s webpage.
A big launch event has been planned in Waco, Texas, and the company is looking to take the covers off the car in prime evening viewing hours. Invitations are already being sent out to reservation holders for the car as we write this article.
What We Know About the Tesla Roadster Launch
Go for launch pic.twitter.com/Khu03eiZ04
— Tesla (@Tesla) September 12, 2026
Tesla has confirmed that an event is taking place on October 1st 2026, and it looks like it is the official launch of the new electric sports car. A teaser was posted recently on X stating, “Go for launch,” and it has now finally put a date to the launch event.
For those who already have a reservation for the car, there is good news. Invitations to the event are already being posted out and landing in people’s email inboxes. There are, however, a few rules to follow. These invites are non-transferable and limited to reservation holders only. That keeps the guest list down to those who just have years-old deposits, rather than those with simple sign-ups for the car.
The event itself is taking place at 8:30 pm local time, with it perfectly lined up for prime-time viewing hours in the evening. Waco is around 90 minutes north of Tesla’s Austin headquarters, and within a drive of the SpaceX McGregor engine test facility. It is rumored there will be a SpaceX thruster package for the car, with Elon Musk stating the car could go from 0- 60 mph in just 1.1 seconds.
What Do We Know About the Tesla Roadster Itself?
The invitation sent out says “ROADSTER. October 1, 2026. Waco, Texas. Join us.” The event is expected to be an in-person one, rather than one broadcast online. In terms of the car itself, we do know the pricing. Tesla has confirmed that the base version will start at roughly $200,000. A Founder Series model will also be sold for $250,000. The company has also said it will go from 0- 60 mph in less than two seconds and have a top speed of more than 250mph.
In terms of what the car looks like, that still isn’t quite clear. We’ve had the concept, of course, and a few images of the car released since 2017. But none of that means the car will look like that when October rolls around. However, it would be a surprise if it deviated massively from the preview images we have seen over the last few years. It isn’t controversial design like the Cybertruck and should appeal to a wider audience. If it has the performance figures that we expect it to have, it will be one of the fastest EVs produced so far.