Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants Tesla’s new flying Roadster to be legal in his state, even suggesting the rocket-powered sports car could someday jump over golf carts in one of Florida’s best-known retirement communities.
The governor made the remark on October 15, 2026, shortly after Tesla demonstrated its redesigned Roadster at a SpaceX facility in Texas. The electric sports car performed airborne maneuvers using compressed-air thrusters, turning what had been a long-running promise from Elon Musk into an actual demonstration.
Responding to a question about whether the vehicle would be street legal in Florida, DeSantis wrote on X, “We will make sure that it’s legal — at a minimum could be used to leapfrog golf carts in the Villages.”
The remark quickly attracted attention, but the governor’s promise does not mean the flying Roadster is currently approved for public roads. Tesla itself acknowledges that its most extreme version is not road-legal, and production isn’t expected to begin until 2028.
Governor Makes Promise
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We will make sure that it’s legal — at a minimum could be used to leapfrog golf carts in the Villages.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) October 16, 2026
DeSantis’s reference to The Villages was particularly fitting because the sprawling Central Florida retirement community is famous for its extensive use of golf carts.
However, his social media response did not outline proposed legislation, safety requirements, or a process for permitting vehicles capable of briefly leaving the pavement.
The distinction matters because Tesla’s Roadster is considerably different from a conventional electric car.
Roadster Takes Flight
During its October 15 demonstration, Tesla showed a prototype equipped with technology developed alongside SpaceX.
The vehicle used a powerful suction system to travel along an inverted ramp before launching into the air, rotating, and landing on its wheels. Another demonstration showed the Roadster using its thrusters to jump over several Tesla vehicles.
According to TechCrunch, Musk presented the technology as something intended for the eventual production vehicle rather than merely a one-off stunt.
The most extreme configuration, called the Rocket, uses 10 directional thrusters powered by compressed air. Tesla also claims the Roadster can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than one second.
The demonstration involved a prototype, however, and did not establish that the vehicle could sustain ordinary flight or safely perform airborne maneuvers in public traffic.
Legal Questions Remain
Tesla’s Rocket configuration is not currently approved for public road use, creating a significant obstacle to DeSantis’s promise.
The Federal Aviation Administration reportedly stated that the Roadster does not meet its definition of an aircraft. That classification does not automatically authorize drivers to launch the vehicle into the air on public streets.
The Roadster was originally unveiled in 2017, with production initially expected in 2020. Following multiple delays, Tesla is now targeting 2028.
According to The Associated Press, Tesla is accepting reservations but does not guarantee a specific delivery timeline.
Online Reaction
The governor’s remarks also drew skeptical reactions on Reddit, where users questioned both the technology’s practicality and the government’s ability to authorize it.
One commenter, using the name Intrepid00, questioned whether Florida could independently determine the vehicle’s aviation status, arguing that federal oversight could become an obstacle.
Another user, IGetGuys4URMom, joked, “People in Florida do a bad enough job as it is keeping cars on the road.”
Others questioned whether Tesla’s high-pressure compressed-air system would be appropriate for ordinary traffic.
For now, the Roadster’s flying capabilities remain confined to demonstrations, and DeSantis has not publicly outlined how Florida would make those capabilities legal on public roads.