Tesla unveils Roadster with SpaceX air jets, fueling merger speculation
The new Roadster, featuring brief flight capabilities and sub-second acceleration, is expected to have minimal financial impact but serves as a symbolic innovation milestone. The launch rekindled speculation about a potential merger between Tesla and SpaceX.
Tesla unveiled its new Roadster in Texas, a vehicle featuring SpaceX air jets that enable brief flight. The car accelerates from 0 to nearly 100 km/h in under one second. Reservations start at $50,000 for the base version and $250,000 for the jet-powered version, while the single-seat 'Rocket' version is invitation-only. A Morningstar analyst projects 2,000 annual sales, representing less than 1% of Tesla's revenue even at a $600,000 average price. The launch rekindled speculation about a Tesla-SpaceX merger, though both stocks fell slightly on Friday. The original Roadster was shown in 2017 with a 2020 target, but the new model is expected in 2028. The vehicle is viewed as a symbolic "North Star" for Tesla's innovation image rather than a significant financial driver. In related market news, Bitcoin-Holding-Strategy dropped nearly 10% after MSCI announced rules excluding companies with primarily non-operational assets from indices by late November.