Tesla’s long-awaited second-generation Roadster has finally made an appearance, promising extraordinary performance and technology unlike anything currently on the road (or in the air, for that matter). However, anyone considering putting down a deposit on the electric supercar might want to read the reservation agreement carefully.
Despite unveiling an updated version of the Roadster nearly a decade after its original debut, Tesla still cannot guarantee when customers will receive their cars. In fact, the automaker explicitly warns that some reservation holders might never receive one at all.
InsideEVs first reported on the warning that appears in Tesla’s Roadster reservation agreement, which customers must accept before securing a place in line. It’s a particularly significant detail considering that certain versions require deposits of up to $250,000.
Tesla is currently targeting 2028 for production, following years of delays since the Roadster’s initial unveiling in 2017. Even that timeline, however, isn’t a firm commitment.
A Reservation Doesn’t Guarantee A Roadster
The agreement states that the Roadster is still under development and that Tesla cannot guarantee when a vehicle will be delivered, or whether delivery will happen at all. Customers are essentially paying to secure an approximate position in the reservation queue.
Crucially, placing a reservation doesn’t constitute an actual vehicle order or guarantee a production slot. Customers could therefore be committing substantial sums of money without any assurance that the car will actually enter production.
The document also makes clear that Tesla hasn’t finalized the Roadster’s pricing. Any estimated purchase price could change, while the vehicle’s equipment, options, and features are still being developed.
Extraordinary Promises, But No Firm Delivery Date
Tesla’s latest Roadster presentation showcased ambitious performance targets, including acceleration figures that would put it among the quickest vehicles ever conceived. The automaker has also demonstrated an experimental configuration featuring rocket-style thrusters capable of briefly lifting the car off the ground.
Those capabilities have generated tremendous excitement, although the production Roadster has yet to demonstrate them independently. Buyers also have no confirmed final specifications or delivery schedule to rely on.
The uncertainty is all the more surprising considering how long the Roadster project has been underway. Tesla originally unveiled the second-generation Roadster in 2017, but customers who reserved one back then are still waiting.
At Least The Deposits Are Refundable
There is some reassurance for anyone considering a reservation. Tesla’s agreement allows customers to cancel their reservations and receive a refund before completing vehicle configuration. Refunds are also available if Tesla cannot deliver the car.
Reservations cannot be transferred to another person, although the agreement doesn’t include a restriction preventing owners from reselling their cars after delivery, a restriction Tesla has previously used for certain limited-production vehicles.
The Roadster’s latest unveiling has certainly renewed interest in Tesla’s most ambitious performance car, but after nearly a decade of waiting, will that excitement eventually translate into customer deliveries?