Inside Tesla's Roadster: 10 features of Elon Musk's 'flying car' that push the limits of electric vehicles | In Pics

Tesla's long-awaited Roadster electric car has finally been unveiled, and it is being presented as more than an electric sports car. At the unveiling event at SpaceX's development facility in McGregor, Texas, Elon Musk showcased a vehicle that lifted off the ground, hovered, and performed aerial manoeuvres, all using thruster technology developed with his rocket company SpaceX. From its aerospace-inspired paint and minimalist cabin to its cold-gas thrusters and suction-based downforce system, here are the key features Tesla says set the Roadster apart.

Elon Musk on Thursday (Oct 15) unveiled Tesla's long-awaited Roadster at SpaceX's development facility in McGregor, Texas. The electric sports car is being promoted as a high-performance vehicle, with its top-spec version featuring thrusters designed to enable aerial movement.

A demonstration video shared by Musk on X showed the white Roadster lifting off the ground and manoeuvring in the air. Tesla's Rocket configuration uses cold-gas thrusters positioned around the vehicle to support upward and forward acceleration, as well as lateral and rotational movement.

At the Texas event, Elon Musk noted that the "future promised us flying cars". Later, on X, he shared the video with the caption, “Turns out the future does have flying cars.”

Tesla's design uses concealed headlights, a full-width rear taillight and flush-mounted aerodynamic elements. The company says the minimalist exterior is intended to combine a clean appearance with performance-focused engineering.

Tesla calls the Roadster's white finish Ano White. According to the company, the paint draws inspiration from aerospace techniques and is designed to protect against ultraviolet exposure, corrosion, and other demanding conditions.

The Roadster's Gold Glazed design features tinted windows inspired by the golden appearance of spacesuit visors, alongside titanium accents. Tesla presents these details as part of the car's space-age styling.

The Tesla Roadster's interior combines an Ultrawhite finish with grey microsuede detailing and seats designed to provide additional grip. The cabin features a yoke-style steering control designed for steer-by-wire, along with a central touchscreen and two smaller displays.

Tesla says the Roadster uses lightweight, high-strength materials, including magnesium, titanium and carbon fibre. Its design also incorporates lightweight wheels. The company says reducing mass helps the vehicle respond more quickly to driver inputs.

Tesla's Roadster, as per the company, is "Beyond The Limits of Physics". The car features a multi-mode fan and ground-sealing system that draws air from beneath the car to generate downforce. "This provides enough suction to hold the vehicle upside down, even when stationary," says the Tesla website.

The company says the system, combined with active aerodynamic wings, is designed to improve traction and cornering performance.

Tesla's Thrust configuration pairs the car's suction system with cold-gas thrusters at the rear. The company claims that this setup can propel the Roadster from zero to 100 km/h (60 miles/hour) in under one second. The car boasts a top speed of 230 mph.

Tesla describes its Rocket configuration as an air-ready version of the Roadster, with seating for one and cold-gas thrusters positioned around the vehicle. The company says the system is designed to support forward, upward and rotational movement. However, according to the company, the Rocket trim is not available in all regions and is currently not approved for public road use.