Tesla Pushes Back Second-Generation Roadster Reveal to Mid-October

Tesla has postponed the public reveal of its redesigned second-generation Roadster supercar, citing severe weather forecasts in Waco, Texas. According to a report by TechCrunch (https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/tesla-delays-roadster-2-event-again-due-to-bad-weather/), the electric vehicle maker moved the outdoor demonstration from October 1 to October 15.

"We’ve been tracking the weather closely with local meteorologists, but given the severe conditions predicted & because this event can only be held outdoors, we’ve made the difficult decision to reschedule," Tesla posted on X.

The showcase requires an open-air venue because Tesla has been working to integrate cold gas thrusters sourced from SpaceX, which are designed to give the sports car airborne capabilities during demonstrations.

The postponement follows a series of scheduling shifts for the vehicle. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk previously weighed holding the event on April Fools' Day, noting during Tesla's 2025 annual meeting—where shareholders approved a $1 trillion compensation package—that the date would provide "some deniability" if the reveal slipped again.

Tesla first showcased a prototype of the second-generation Roadster in 2017 alongside its electric Semi truck. Unlike the company's original Roadster from the early 2010s, which was built on a Lotus Elise chassis, the second-generation model was planned as a ground-up design with an estimated base price of around $200,000. At the time, Tesla collected $50,000 deposits for standard reservations and $250,000 upfront for an initial run of 1,000 "Founders Series" editions.

The vehicle program stalled for years before Musk directed engineers to redesign the car around the SpaceX thruster system. The protracted timeline has drawn public attention from early reservation holders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who posted on X last year that waiting seven and a half years felt long; Musk responded that Altman had received a refund.

Production remains further out. Musk has previously stated that commercial manufacturing is expected to take a year or more after the vehicle's formal public presentation.