Tesla Targets Next Year for Roadster Release, Elon Musk Rekindles Hype Amid Delays

On Wednesday, Elon Musk, CEO of the electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, stated that the company intends to dispatch its Roadster electric sports car within the next year.

Tesla Roadster's Final Design to Be Unveiled This Year, Musk Announces on X

Musk wrote in a post on X, "Tonight, we significantly elevated the design objectives for the new Tesla Roadster." He added that the Roadster's production design will be finalized and unveiled by the conclusion of the current year.

Tesla had previously scheduled the 2020 debut of the Roadster, a battery-powered four-seater, which it had disclosed at the end of 2017.

To recall, in late 2017, Musk first unveiled a Roadster prototype of the second generation and predicted the vehicle's release three years later. Tesla increased the price of reservations to $250,000 during a period when the company was cash-strapped and struggling to increase Model 3 sedan production.

Elon Musk Teases SpaceX Thrusters for Tesla Roadster Amid Rival BYD's Supercar Launch

While reviving enthusiasm for the Roadster, the CEO of Tesla revisited several of his previous posts on the social media platform he currently controls. Musk alluded to offering a SpaceX rocket thruster option bundle in June 2018, writing that after selling his first company, he had to choose between purchasing a house and a McLaren. He chose to travel by car.

On Wednesday, Musk responded, "You will cherish the new Roadster more than your house."

As per Bloomberg (via Yahoo), Musk neglected to mention in his posts that Tesla's foremost rival in the electric vehicle industry had just introduced a high-performance model. This week began with the introduction of the Yangwang U9 by BYD Co., a supercar priced at 1.68 million yuan ($233,400) that competed with fuel-guzzlers from Ferrari NV and Lamborghini.

The U9, according to BYD, which sold more electric vehicles than Tesla in the fourth quarter of 2017, can reach 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in 2.36 seconds. Musk wrote that Tesla will strive for a zero-to-60 mph time of less than one second.

Based on the chassis of the Lotus Elise, the first-generation Tesla Roadster ceased production in 2012 when the company introduced the Model S sedan. Musk launched his cherry red Roadster into orbit using a SpaceX rocket this month, six years ago.

Photo: TED/YouTube Screenshot