EVwire brief: Tesla's next-generation Roadster packs a 1 MW (~1,341 hp) battery and rear drive unit, a steer-by-wire cockpit and a track-focused interface, details that were not covered during the supercar's unveiling.
Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt and Out of Spec Reviews' Kyle Conner got a closer look at the Roadster at the event, sharing photos, videos and notes from Tesla's displays and a cutaway of the car.
Here's a breakdown of what they found.
Tesla Roadster powertrain and battery
Tesla says the Roadster's new high-voltage battery and rear drive unit together deliver 1 MW (~1,341 hp) of power, one-third more than the Model S Plaid, with half the mass. The rear drive unit packs two motors into a single housing, each with its own inverter mounted on top, and interestingly enough, it uses four mounting points instead of the usual three. An extra high-voltage connection on the battery also hints at a possible front motor, though Tesla has not confirmed one.
Here are some photos courtesy of Kyle Conner:
Image: Kyle Conner/X
The battery is split into four bricks, with snake-style cooling loops running between the cells. The cells resemble Tesla's 4680 format, though Conner believes they are likely a high-discharge variant built for power, and he estimated the pack at around 100 kWh based on the Roadster's 300-plus miles (~483 km) of range. Tesla staff also noted that all three Roadster configurations are intended to share the same battery.
Sawyer Merritt shared a video of the components in his post:
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Tesla Roadster interior
The Roadster's cabin is built around a carbon structure with wide sills and a fixed seat, so the steering wheel moves toward the driver instead. Like the Cybertruck, the Roadster is steer-by-wire, and its wheel carries a DRS button, turn signal buttons and a Boost button. Other details include a new side-mounted camera, a wireless phone charger and Pirelli Trofeo RS tires on one of the display cars.
Here’s a short clip of Sawyer’s look at the Roadster’s interior:
Tesla Roadster UI and easter eggs
The Roadster's software looks unlike anything Tesla has shipped before. Drivers can pick from Comfort, Balance, Sport and Custom modes, with Custom allowing individual settings for acceleration, ride and handling, the front and rear wings, suspension height, the hood vent and the barge boards.
The UI’s theme is also retro-futuristic, with a dark mode that features red text and a light mode that features a similar look as the 2017 prototype’s infotainment system.
Here's Sawyer’s video of the Roadster's UI:
Track Mode goes even further, with readouts for battery and motor temperatures, aero balance and brake balance, as well as the option to turn off stability and traction control. The screen also displays a "booster ready" status with thrust at 5,500 psi (~379 bar).
Tesla also hid a little easter egg in the Roadster. Shifting into reverse brings up a cartoon of the meme hedgehog Tesla has used on its order pages on the vehicle’s backup camera screen:
Tesla Roadster thrusters, tanks and a mystery rig
Tesla also offered a closer look at the Roadster's cold-gas system, which it labeled as acceleration thrusters at the event. The system uses all-electric actuators and carbon fiber pressure tanks, while the Rocket gets about 10 perimeter-mounted nozzles, according to Tesla's Lars Moravy.
One display remains a mystery. A large rig with carbon tanks and an "experimental" label was initially described as a refueler for the thrusters, though it could also be the full thruster system that fills the single-seat Rocket. Tesla did not explain it at the event.
Tesla Roadster reservations and production
Tesla has started notifying reservation holders that their Roadster reservations have been automatically converted to the Performance trim, with the option to upgrade to another trim. With this in mind, it appears that most customers would be getting the Performance version, since the Thrust variant is listed as Limited and the Rocket is strictly Invite Only.
As shared by Sawyer on X:
Tesla considers the new Roadster a completely different model from the one shown in 2017, even though reservations carried over. Moravy also said the Roadster is on track for production in 2028.
Tesla also shared a couple of developmental videos showing the Roadster as it was being tested:
Here's Kyle Conner's full walkthrough of the Roadster event on Out of Spec Reviews:
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Context:
These details fill in the gaps left by Tesla's launch event on October 15. Tesla unveiled the Roadster in three configurations: the road-ready Performance, the race-ready Thrust and the air-ready Rocket, with 0-60 mph targets of under 1.6, 0.9 and 0.59 seconds, respectively. The company also showed a demo run of 0.81 seconds, or 0.67 seconds with rollout subtracted, while listing over 300 miles (~483 km) of range across the lineup and a top speed of over 230 mph (~370 km/h) for the Rocket.
The launch capped a wait of nearly nine years, after Tesla first revealed the next-gen Roadster in 2017 with a 1.9-second 0-60 mph target and a 2020 delivery date that came and went. The event itself focused on flight and suction demos rather than specifications, leaving the battery capacity, motor layout and price unannounced.
Source: Sawyer Merritt and Kyle Conner on X, Out of Spec Reviews on YouTube
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