Tesla has unveiled the new Roadster, and it can fly. At a livestreamed event at a SpaceX test site in Texas on the evening of 15 October 2026 (US time), the car drove up a curved ramp until it was upside down, fired cold-gas thrusters to launch off the top, flipped and landed, then jumped over a line of parked Tesla vehicles. Tesla says production will begin in 2028. For UK drivers the headline comes with conditions: Tesla's UK website says the Roadster will be left-hand drive only, and the version that flies is "not approved for public road use". Here is what was shown, what Tesla has confirmed for the UK, and what it would mean as a company car.
What Tesla has confirmed
Tesla's UK website lists three versions:
| Version | Seats | What it adds | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | Two | Active aerodynamics and a multi-mode suction system that creates downforce, described as "road ready" | By reservation |
| Thrust | Two | Cold-gas thrusters in the rear that take it from 0 to 60mph in under one second, described as "race ready" | Limited release |
| Rocket | One | Thrusters around the whole car for forward, upward and rotational movement. In Tesla's words: "So yes, it can fly" | Invite only. "Not approved for public road use" and not available in all regions |
Tesla says its suction system can pull enough air from under the car to hold it upside down, even when it is stationary. Its UK page marks that feature, along with Track Mode and the flight thrusters, as available on the Rocket only, which is not available in all regions. At the event, Tesla also quoted a top speed above 230mph.
The road version
For anyone thinking of actually driving one on UK roads, the version that matters is the Performance. It is the two-seat car Tesla describes as "road ready", and the only one open to ordinary reservation. On Tesla's UK page it has:
- Active aerodynamics and a multi-mode suction system that Tesla says maximises downforce "on and off the track".
- Steer-by-wire with a yoke designed for it, plus a centre touchscreen and two smaller displays in front of the driver.
- Manual controls and a fixed seat position, to save weight, with magnesium, titanium and carbon fibre used throughout.
- Hidden headlights, a full-length tail light and flush aerodynamics.
The thrusters are not part of it. Thrust, the "race ready" version that adds rear thrusters for 0 to 60mph in under one second, is a limited-release upgrade, and Tesla's page says the specifications it shows are for Thrust. Tesla has not published separate acceleration, range or price figures for the Performance in the UK.
Can you order one in the UK?
Tesla's UK website is taking reservations for the Performance version, with £5,000 payable to reserve and a further £45,000 within ten days. Tesla says availability depends on each country's laws and that the car is left-hand drive only. No UK price has been announced, and no UK delivery date has been given beyond the 2028 production start.
It is worth keeping the history in mind. Tesla first showed a second-generation Roadster in November 2017 and said deliveries would start in 2020. Production dates have moved several times since, so plan around the car when it is on a UK price list, not before.
What it would mean as a company car
The Roadster is fully electric, so the usual electric car rules would apply when it arrives:
- Company car tax: an electric car is taxed at 4% of its P11D value in 2026/27, rising to 7% in 2028/29 and 9% in 2029/30. On a car at this price the benefit would still be large in pounds, but far lower than a petrol supercar in the 37% band. Our company car tax guide has every band.
- Expensive Car Supplement: any electric car with a list price over £50,000 pays an extra £440 a year for five years, from the second time it is taxed: how the threshold works.
- Pay-per-mile tax: electric cars are due to pay 3p a mile from April 2028 under eVED, the year Roadster production is due to start. It is proposed and not yet law: what eVED means on a lease.
- Leasing: lenders and funders set their terms once a car is on sale in the UK, so a Roadster cannot be quoted today. Left-hand drive and limited volumes are likely to narrow the choice when it is.
If you want a Tesla now
The Model Y and Model 3 are on sale in the UK today, in right-hand drive, at the same 4% company car tax rate. Browse Tesla leasing, the Model Y and the Model 3, or read our guide to leasing a Tesla through a broker. To talk through a Tesla or another prestige electric car on your own mileage and term, call the team on 01752 429950 or request a callback.
Sources: Tesla UK website, Roadster and Roadster reservation pages, checked 16 October 2026; Tesla Roadster unveiling, 15 October 2026 (US time), as reported by TechCrunch, Fox Business and Dezeen; HMRC, Work out the appropriate percentage for company car benefits (480: Appendix 2); HM Treasury and HMRC, Company car tax rates 2028 to 2030; GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Image: Tesla. Manufacturer claims have not been independently tested and may change. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change. This is general information, not tax advice.
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Reviewed by Stacey Smith, Brand Director, Intelligent Vehicle Finance. Last updated: October 2026.