Blog Musk Says Roadster Acceleration Will Be Like a ‘Hardcore Roller Coaster’

The upcoming Tesla Roadster may be able to go 0-60 mph in 1.1 seconds.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk replied to a question on Twitter asking if the electric sports car would be able to achieve such incredible acceleration. Musk said yes, but only if the car is equipped with a rocket thruster option. 

Musk added that such a launch would “not be wise for those with a medical condition,” comparing the ride to a “hardcore roller coaster.”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1395474465794838528

Musk has been talking up a potential feature on the Roadster that would leverage SpaceX rocket thruster technology that uses compressed air to help accelerate the car.

Speaking on the Joe Rogan podcast in February, Musk said he wants the Roadster to hover.

“I’m trying to figure out how to make this thing hover, without, you know, killing people,” Musk said. “Ithought, maybe we could make it hover, but not too high. So maybe it could hover, like, a meter above the ground, or something. So, if you plummet, you blow out the suspension, but you’re not going to die. Maybe, I don’t know, six feet. If we put a height limit on it, it will probably be fine.”

Musk told Rogan that Roadsters with the SpaceX package will not have a back seat, making room for the thruster system.

Musk said he expects the thruster to come out of a James Bond-style flip-down license plate.

A rocket-powered car seems like it could be too much to handle on normal streets. It will be interesting to see if Tesla will build in additional safety features for the SpaceX version of the Roadster. 

Tesla originally planned to deliver the updated Roadster in 2020, but Musk has said the company has prioritized effort like the construction of new factories and production of its first electric pickup. The Roadster is now expected to go to production in 2022. 

 

[CanadianRob]

My M3P made my 71 year old Dad sick for the rest of the day after a launch... can't imagine what this would do lol.

 

[RealAutoBody]

Can't wait for training on how to repair the rocket thruster.

 

[delfonique]

Can't wait for training on how to repair the rocket thruster.

Buahaha, this made me spill coffee all over my desk

 

[SpacedX]

1.1 second 0-60?
tires will last about 300 miles

 

[phantasms]

1.1 second 0-60?
tires will last about 300 miles

It shouldn't terribly effect the tires since much of the force isn't coming from them.

 

[bikeman5]

Not necessarily. Most of the thrust will come from the rockets and not the motors, so there won't be as much wear on the tires as the 1.1 second time would suggest.

1.1 second 0-60?
tires will last about 300 miles

 

[phantasms]

...

 

[Zer0t]

My only question is, when?

 

[phantasms]

My only question is, when?

“Two weeks”

 

[dipper]

“Two weeks”

Or maybe 6 month max. Hahaha.

 

[bolosky]

I suspect that the rockets will more provide downforce than direct thrust. You get more acceleration that way (if you have enough torque), and it works in any direction not just the way the rocket is pushing. If that's true, then pretty much all the acceleration will come from the tires.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Musk is trolling all of you like he does with everything else: Over-promise and under-deliver. There will be no rocket jet thrusters of any kind in the Roadster that will actually be released. Everything you are hearing right now is designed to create buzz in Elon Musk's usual misleading style. Eventually there will be some "insurmountable" problems (which Musk already knows well) that will prohibit inclusion of said thrusters. And the entire kool-aid drinking community will forgive him and put him on yet another, higher pedestal.

There's something at work in the psychology of fervent Tesla/Musk supporters that precludes any degree of personal self interest, financial and otherwise.

 

[phantasms]

 

[Brando]

Probably require working FSD -- so when driver passes out --- Roadster won't crash.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

Patent for launch system released here, must stomp the accelerator hard!

 

[TarmacSurfer]

Haters gotta hate I guess.

Anyone else see the obvious and hilarious irony in someone with "realtor" in their username throwing stones at Musk (or anyone else for that matter) over "over promising / under delivering" and misrepresentation?

FWIW I believe Elon is the real deal - much like Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. Those sorts of people just DO and delight in proving the naysayers wrong more than just about anything else. I guess I share some of that passive-aggressive nature which is why a lot of it appeals to me.

 

[bolosky]

FWIW I believe Elon is the real deal - much like Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. Those sorts of people just DO and delight in proving the naysayers wrong more than just about anything else. I guess I share some of that passive-aggressive nature which is why a lot of it appeals to me.

I've met all the modern people on your list (though with Elon it was just shaking his hand once at a party). I'm not so sure about the "passive" part. But they all got stuff done, that's for damn sure.

 

[washpark]

A rollercoaster can only accelerate at the speed of gravity. Plaid is already at 1.2 times gravity, so the Roadster is slower than the Plaid?

 

[ICUDoc]

A rollercoaster can only accelerate at the speed of gravity. Plaid is already at 1.2 times gravity, so the Roadster is slower than the Plaid?

Not true about the rollercoaster
1. they can use motors to accelerate faster downward
2. They can have lateral acceleration faster than 1G by curving the rails. Which they do, going WAAAAY over 1g. Maybe 10 times that!!

Highest G-Force on a Roller Coaster

For the other records, click here. This list is of current record holders at the date(s) indicated. Some past rides have pulled G-forces up to 12G (the Flip Flap Railway), which is dangerously extreme. At 2Gs, a 100-pound person would feel 200 pounds of force. 4G is considered a safe limit for...

rollercoaster.fandom.com