The Tesla Roadster’s October reveal looks like another piece of pantomime — it’s a shame the once ground-breaking company doesn’t focus on cars anymore

Rejoice! Cold-gas thrusters could finally get their debut

by · TechRadar

News By Leon Poultney Published 15 September 2026

The new Tesla Roadster teaser (above left) next to an early vision of the second-gen car (right). (Image credit: Tesla)

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  • The new Tesla Roadster has been nine years in the making
  • Some customers placed reservations for the vehicle back in 2017
  • Rumors suggest the EV could use gas thrusters to aid acceleration

After years of delays and multiple shuffled goalposts, it looks like the next-generation Tesla Roadster will finally make its first public outing.

The official Tesla website posted a teaser image over the weekend that shows what appears to be a taillight, a large spoiler or rear diffuser and some sort of quad-thruster deployment spraying gas into the atmosphere.

There’s also a countdown clock, with the official Tesla account on X stating “Go for launch,” accompanied by the date 10.01, or October 1.

It is all typically cryptic, but some news outlets have flipped the image and said it looks more like an enormous rear spoiler with a light at the rear and thrusters beneath that, which would tally with Elon Musk’s claims that the sports car could use SpaceX-developed cold-gas thrusters as performance-enhancers.

Not a Tesla App is reporting that some key Tesla people, including online influencers, have started receiving their digital invitations, which suggest it will be held in Waco, Texas. Tesla has since confirmed the Waco location.

The Roadster is a hugely influential nameplate. After all, the all-electric model that was heavily based on a Lotus Elise was arguably the car — and proof of concept — that kick-started the journey for the EV company.

As a result, Tesla fans and investors rushed to place deposits on the next generation when the project was first announced back in November 2017.

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