With Tesla Roadster debut, Elon Musk shows “flying cars are real”

Updated on: October 16, 2026 / 5:44 AM EDT / CBS/AFP

Houston — Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled what he described as a "flying" car, equipped with thrusters, during a livestreamed event at his SpaceX rocket company's facility on Thursday.

Technical and regulatory challenges have so far prevented the much-hyped flying car sector from getting off the ground.

Musk revealed Tesla's new Roadster sports car during a launch event at a SpaceX test facility in Texas.

During the demo, which was livestreamed on Tesla's X account, the car launched from a ramp that curled over so the vehicle was upside down, appearing to defy gravity by clinging to the surface before flying off the end, and then rolled over 180 degrees midair to land on its wheels.

"Flying cars are real," Musk said during the event, adding that the vehicle's "success is not guaranteed" but "it will probably work."

Musk said the car was equipped with "ultra high-pressure air tanks" to propel itself into the air.

The tech billionaire described the development as "what happens when you have a collaboration with the world's best car company and the world's best rocket company," referring to Tesla and SpaceX.

The vehicle would…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/