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Roadster 2023

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With the information from Investor Day and the progress being made on battery and motor developments, we may be seeing the Roadster in 2023.
On a poster perhaps? Tesla is in streamlining and optimizing mass production mode. Roadster would just be a distraction, not worth the resources. They will not sell enough of them for the project to pay for itself, and Elon doesn't need a new platform to experiment on, his way is to experiment on production cars. Between low volume Model S and X, and high volume 3 and Y, they have plenty of experimental cars and test drivers. With radar, without radar, with USS, without USS, new parts, old parts - Tesla test fleet is over a million cars strong and growing. Remember Elon boasting how they change production parts every 2 weeks? Elon also gave up boasting fastest production car or longest range EV car, since Tesla no longer holds either title, so the Roadster will go the way to Tesla Ride Sharing Network (robo-taxis), or Tesla Battery Swap, or probably closer to Plaid+ (which was the car announced out of Elon's hubris, after he heard of other cars which could beat Tesla on acceleration or range. Tesla even took deposits for it, but never delivered it.). Personally I think the bigger question is whether or not they will refund all Roadster deposits this year or next.
 
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While I don’t agree that it wouldn’t be a profitable car, I too am starting to wonder if it will ever get built. Perhaps I missed it but I didn’t see the Roadster prototype in any of the investor day photos. As someone who did have a Plaid+ deposit, this is disappointing. On the other hand Franz did say they were actively working on it and he’s a guy I trust. But if the priority is scaling huge and transitioning the Earth to sustainable energy, as it should be, I’m not sure where or when Roadster fits in there. Either they do it at a time that doesn’t make sense or they do it in 203X.
 
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Personally I think the bigger question is whether or not they will refund all Roadster deposits this year or next.

The Roadster deposits are easy to refund if/when they have to. The bigger problem is the hundreds of millions of dollars of free marketing they got from all the youtubers, websites, and bloggers who all got one or two "free" roadsters for their efforts. If Tesla renigs out of that deal, that's going to be huge trouble for them.
 
The Roadster deposits are easy to refund if/when they have to. The bigger problem is the hundreds of millions of dollars of free marketing they got from all the youtubers, websites, and bloggers who all got one or two "free" roadsters for their efforts. If Tesla renigs out of that deal, that's going to be huge trouble for them.
While I think you correctly point out a little kink in the process, I don't think this is of any significance to Tesla. Plenty more youtubers paid real money for Full Self Driving when it was supposed to drive for Tesla Ride Sharing network and make them money (potentially more than a free Roadster's worth), and yet, Tesla just wipes all existence of that from the website, not even issue any refunds, and no youtuber outrage that bothers Tesla even a little bit (there is some, Tesla doesn't care).

Roadster is following the exact same path, first is "radio silence" - no updates whatsoever, once people get used to it, cancel and issue refunds. As for the rewards, they MIGHT offer those people a free Plaid as long as you sign a waver that it satisfies all Tesla obligations. If you don't sign, you don't get anything and can go sue, but Elon will fight it like he did yellow screens, or "pedo guy" case - whatever the cost to win. This case will be easier to win than the "free Harrier jet" rewards case. Tesla layers will use their recent moto "failing to meet future aspirational goals does not constitute failure to deliver" and that will be it. Youtubers will take the Plaid vs. lawsuit costs and unlikely win.
 
While I don’t agree that it wouldn’t be a profitable car, I too am starting to wonder if it will ever get built. Perhaps I missed it but I didn’t see the Roadster prototype in any of the investor day photos. As someone who did have a Plaid+ deposit, this is disappointing. On the other hand Franz did say they were actively working on it and he’s a guy I trust. But if the priority is scaling huge and transitioning the Earth to sustainable energy, as it should be, I’m not sure where or when Roadster fits in there. Either they do it at a time that doesn’t make sense or they do it in 203X.
Ha ha, Elon said many times they are actively working robo taxis, battery swap, __insert_many_other_Elon_failed_inventions_here__. So what? It means absolutely NOTHING.
 
Sure, but dropping $10k on FSD and not getting it is --A LOT-- different than reneging on a $250k 'free car' -- and in many cases, two free cars.
Dropping $10K on FSD and expecting $30K-$40K a year from Tesla Ride Sharing Network, vs, dropping nothing on a Roadster "points" and expecting a free $250K Roadster. The only difference is $10K vs. $0 initial investment, both are supposed to bring free money from Tesla.

How about anyone who bought any Tesla with FSD on Elon's claim it will be worth $220K by end of 2020 because of robo-taxis? $220K is close to Roadster money. Also not delivered by Tesla (and never will be).

There is so many free benefits that Elon promised people, not getting a free Roadster will just be another drop in the bucket.
 
Ha ha, Elon said many times they are actively working robo taxis, battery swap, __insert_many_other_Elon_failed_inventions_here__. So what? It means absolutely NOTHING.
I never said anything about Elon. My words were "On the other hand Franz did say they were actively working on it and he’s a guy I trust." The implication in that sentence is that I don't trust Elon.
 
I never said anything about Elon. My words were "On the other hand Franz did say they were actively working on it and he’s a guy I trust." The implication in that sentence is that I don't trust Elon.
"we are actively working on X" is a vague, non-committal answer. I think Elon is actually learning from Franz how to give such answers, because in the past he got into too much hot water actually committing to deliverables, dates, etc.

PS> I am currently actively working on becoming a billionaire.
 
I wish I liked the Model S at all. Other than looks it’s a flop for me. I find it far less engaging than the 3. If I liked it’s driving dynamics even half as much as my P3 I’d buy one today. :(

Having switched from a performance model 3 to a Plaid, the absolutely absurd power and grip is enjoyable.

I don't enjoy bottoming out over every speed bump and driveway, though. The approach and departure angles on the S are worse than the 3.
 
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Plaid did the trick and Elon was correct in that no "+" was needed.
So no Roadster needed either then? Plaid does the trick there too?

PS> I always liked the way Model S handled, but gotta tell you, when switching between the Taycan and Model S nowadays, Model S just feels so much less sporty than before. I have the Sport+ suspension on the Model S, yet it feels so much software and less precise than the Taycan. The whole car feels like a land large cruiser, even though they are almost the same size (ok, Taycan does have rear wheel steering, but I'm talking general driving feel, not just turning radius).
 
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