Will Tesla's long-delayed Roadster EV ever hit the road?
What's the story
The future of the highly anticipated Tesla Roadster remains uncertain after a series of production delays.
First unveiled in 2017, the next-gen Roadster was slated to go into production by 2020. However, it has been delayed continuously since then.
With promises of free new Roadsters for referral program participants and several pre-orders already, will this electric supercar ever hit the market?
Production delays
CEO Elon Musk's statements on production timeline
The last official word from Tesla on the Roadster's production came from CEO Elon Musk in July 2024.
He said "we've completed most of the engineering" and "expect to be in production with Roadster next year." This was seven years after the prototype's unveiling.
In October 2024, Musk again commented on the new Roadster, calling it "the cherry on the icing on the cake." Be he did not reveal a launch timeline for the highly anticipated car.
Lack of updates
Executives remain silent on Roadster's future
Since Musk's last comment, Tesla executives have mostly stayed quiet about the new Roadster.
Two Tesla executives even needed a reminder from the TV host Jay Leno about the Roadster when listing upcoming vehicles with tri-motor powertrain.
The only recent update came in Tesla's financial results last month, shifting the Roadster from "in development" to "design development" in a vehicle production status table.
Since it's not in "construction" yet, it is unlikely the Roadster will go into production this year.
Unfulfilled promises
Tesla's ambitious promises and potential consequences
Tesla promised some 80 free Roadsters to owners who referred purchases and huge discounts on hundreds of units. However, the company is yet to deliver on these commitments.
This begs the question: How long can Tesla hold onto deposits without delivering vehicles or facing legal action for not meeting its obligations?
The case highlights the challenges Tesla is facing in managing multiple vehicle programs simultaneously while keeping up with its ambitious promises.