Roadster to fly over Grand Canyon, exceed 600km/h: Musk
What's the story
Elon Musk has teased some pretty wild stunts for Tesla's next-gen Roadster. He suggested that future demonstrations could see the electric car fly over the Snake River or even the Grand Canyon, land on its wheels, and exceed half the speed of sound. The ambitious plans were revealed in a post on X, following a recent demonstration where Tesla showcased the Roadster driving upside down and taking off briefly.
Tech details
Roadster's flight powered by SpaceX thrusters
Tesla's vehicle engineering head, Lars Moravy, has clarified that the Roadster's flying capability is powered by SpaceX thrusters.
The car uses 10 thrusters connected to 600-liter of compressed air for mid-air lifts and spins.
Unlike traditional rockets that burn fuel, these cold-gas thrusters developed by SpaceX use pressurized gas to create thrust.
This system allows the Roadster to perform short airborne maneuvers before safely landing back on the ground.
Flight duration
Flight duration depends on amount of gas on board
The flight duration of the Roadster depends directly on the amount of gas on board.
This means its airborne capability is directly tied to the compressed gas supply used by its thrusters.
Musk's vision for future demonstrations has only added to the hype around this cutting-edge vehicle, with videos of its recent stunt gaining traction on social media platforms.
Twitter Post
Roadster could exceed 617.5km/h
Future Roadster demos will include flying over the Snake River or even the Grand Canyon, and reaching speeds exceeding half the speed of sound.
— akash | आकाश | アカシュ (@pennedbyhim) October 17, 2026
The speed of sound is ~1,235km/h.
Half would be ~617.5km/h.
Tesla currently lists the top speed of the Roadster as exceeding 370km/h. pic.twitter.com/o9HNjZzUJk