Tesla has unveiled its electric sports car, the Tesla Roadster, in Texas. The company says the vehicle can not only travel on roads but also take to the air. Stunts performed at the launch event have gone viral online, showing the car rising into the air, flipping in mid-air and then descending gently, resembling a rocket landing.
The company claims the car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 0.81 seconds. The most notable offering in the line-up is the Rocket variant, which is fitted with 10 rocket thrusters that enable the car to lift off and perform aerial manoeuvres. Space technology from SpaceX, under Elon Musk, has been used in the car’s development.
Tesla has launched the Roadster in three variants, and bookings have already begun. The rocket thruster model will not be available to all buyers, and obtaining it will require Tesla’s permission.
The base variant is priced at about $200,000 (roughly Rs 1.66 crore), while the Founders Series variant is priced at about $250,000 (roughly Rs 2.08 crore). The Founders Series has been made exclusively for the first 1,000 customers. The company has not yet disclosed the price of the top-end Rocket/SpaceX variant.