Tesla’s new Roadster car can thrust itself in the air. But don’t expect to drive it anytime soon

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on AP News or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Tesla has unveiled a second-generation Roadster equipped with cold-gas thrusters and a suction system capable of briefly lifting the car into the air, while CEO Elon Musk says consumer production is not expected to begin until 2028

🔭 The context: Tesla says the Roadster can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in under one second and uses technology partly derived from SpaceX
• The demonstration vehicle was operated autonomously, although Tesla says the production Roadster is intended to remain manually driven
• Tesla has reopened reservations, but its website does not guarantee when, or even whether, customer deliveries will occur

🌍 Why it matters: The launch highlights how electric vehicles are becoming a platform for increasingly ambitious performance and software-led innovation, even as regulatory and commercial questions remain unresolved
• Experts note that any ability to lift or manoeuvre above public roads would face substantial safety and regulatory scrutiny
• The Roadster also arrives as Tesla continues shifting investment toward autonomous driving, robotaxis and robotics alongside its core EV business

⏭️ What’s next: Tesla must still move from demonstration to commercial production, navigate road-safety rules and determine pricing, while investors and customers wait to see whether the Roadster reaches the market on its current 2028 timeline

📈 One stat: Tesla says the new Roadster can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in less than one second

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