Following the revelation of the Tesla Semi way back in November 2017, Elon Musk pulled out a massive surprise in classic Tesla fashion - the all-new 2020 Tesla Roadster. Yes, the Roadster is coming back.
Its release date is somewhat unclear, but Musk announced that it will hit the roads in 2020 at a Tesla Design Studio event. But given our world pandemic situation that's not going to happen until 2021 if not later.
Musk characterized the Roadster as a "dessert" in an appearance on Joe Rogan's radio sow in May 2020. He also said that they would delay their dessert while Tesla worked on other things. We've got Roadster details up next.
Battery and Range
The Tesla Roadster is expected to travel a whopping 620 miles on a single charge, with a battery pack of 200 kilowatt-hours. That's more than double the range found on the long-range version of the Tesla Model 3 that promises 310 miles.
Musk has made more modifications, as only two Model S P100 packs are strapped together to the present Roadster battery, enabling Tesla to double the modules without packaging and other parts.
Musk claims that the company could save 10 to 20 percent efficiency on the 4.5-inch increase in height merely from the larger packs.
Seating Capacity
Four seats will be available for the Tesla Roadster. The rear two seats would be smaller than the front two, and they have previously been spoken to by Musk as "kid seats."
The terminology echoes used for the seven-seater option of the Model S, which places two small seats in the back of the vehicle for children.
Prototype models display only two of the car's doors. The recent video demonstrates that the rear seats are very small. Not best for four full-sized adults, probably.
Manufacturing
Tesla is unlikely to manufacture the Roadster in mass quantities, i.e. less than 1,000 per week, given its price, which should be substantially higher than Models S and X.
For the original 2008 Roadster, which had a production run of just 500 in its first year, it has a higher price than the $108,000 asking price.
In the June 2019 earnings call, Musk reported that Tesla is not likely to build more than 10,000 next-gen Roadsters annually. Taken collectively, anticipating limited quantities from its successor seems more rational.
Cost
The Tesla Roadster is scheduled to sell at a starting price of $200,000, based on a reservation of $50,000. A special "Founders Series" edition, limited to only 1,000 vehicles, with the reservation contingent on full payment, would cost $250,000.
From these base models, Tesla has plans for even more updates. In June, Musk shared a "SpaceX Options Package" that will use 10 tiny rocket thrusters placed around the car to boost acceleration, top speed, braking, and cornering.
In a composite over-wrapped pressure vessel bottle, it will use high-pressure air, with the air replenished instantly by the vehicle when the power draw permits.
For this feature, pricing is yet to be determined, but it will not just cost money: the bottle will consider taking up the two "kid seats" in the rear.
Bottom Line
When it launches, the second-generation Tesla Roadster is set to break records. From the company's first vehicle back in 2008, the widely awaited supercar might not be here until 2022.
No car out there today will be capable of matching the Roadster, according to Musk. He says that this applies to all elements of performance, such as on-track driving. If it's all they say it is, the Roadster is going to break records.Â
