Aug 14 (Reuters) – Tesla plans to unveil a redesigned Roadster as early as this month, The Information reported on Friday, nearly a decade after the electric-vehicle maker first revealed a next-generation version of its original sports car.
The event could include a demonstration of a limited-edition Roadster with cold-gas thrusters developed in collaboration with SpaceX, the report said, citing people familiar with the plans. The demonstration is expected to take place at SpaceX’s test site in McGregor, Texas.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
• Tesla originally revealed the next-generation Roadster in 2017 and said deliveries would begin in 2020, but the company has since delayed the program.
• The redesigned Roadster could be remotely operated during the demonstration because of the noise and force generated by its thrusters, The Information reported.
• The report said the company’s standard Roadster and the limited SpaceX-branded edition are expected to look similar. The new thruster-equipped version is not expected to be street legal and could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, or potentially millions, the report added.
• Tesla initially accepted $50,000 deposits for the standard version and $250,000 for the Founder’s Series limited edition.
• The Roadster program has reportedly evolved from a conventional high-performance EV into an all-new carbon-fiber hypercar, after Tesla abandoned an alternative approach based on Model S Plaid components.
(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)
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