Elon Musk’s ‘flying’ Tesla: car of the future or just more hype?

The CEO of Tesla unveiled his latest creation at a flashy event in Texas

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Elon Musk unveiled the sporty Roadster 2 in 2017, now nine years later he says his new Roadster can fly. Photograph: Tesla/Handout via Reuters
Elon Musk unveiled the sporty Roadster 2 in 2017, now nine years later he says his new Roadster can fly. Photograph: Tesla/Handout via Reuters

In Texas last week, Elon Musk told an invited audience they were about to “see some crazy stuff tonight”.

It turned out to be a new version of Tesla’s Roadster sports car, this one equipped with thrusters to make the electric car fly.

As the audience gasped, the Roadster sped up a steep ramp, took off, did a spin and then fell to the ground aided by air jets. There was no driver at the wheel. His SpaceX company helped develop the model.

China already has several flying car models at advanced test stage. However a key difference is that they look like a cross between a large drone and a helicopter, while the Roadster looks like a car.

But will his vision of a car flying over highways come to fruition, and when?

Motoring journalist Neil Briscoe explains.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison is an Irish Times journalist and cohost of In the News podcast

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