‘Record-setting' new 400km/h Tesla Roadster still on the way
When it was revealed almost eight years ago, the two-seat electric sports car was claimed to offer 0-60mph (97km/h) acceleration in just 2.1 seconds, a stratospheric 400km/h top speed and a long 1000km driving range.
The Roadster's price on Tesla's website remains $US66,000 ($A101,352) and the company has taken $US50,000 ($A76,782) deposits since 2020, the year production was originally scheduled to start.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
But the American EV-maker is yet to unveil a final showroom version of the Roadster, or confirm timing for the launch of the production version, let alone when or indeed whether it will become available in Australia.
Now, Tesla's engineering chief Lars Moravy says the Roadster is still on the way and development is continuing.
"We spent a lot of time in the last few years rethinking what we did, and why we did it, and what would make an awesome and exciting last best driver's car," Moravy said in Tesla's takeover of social media platform X.
"We've been making it better and better, and it is even a little bit more than a car. We showed [Tesla CEO] Elon [Musk] some cool demos last week and tech we've been working on, and he got a little excited."
Mr Moravy's "more than a car" comment could reference Mr Musk's 2018 statement claiming "The new Tesla Roadster can fly".
No firm launch timing or technical details were offered, but to become the world's quickest and fastest EV the Tesla Roadster would have to topple the Aspark Owl SP600 – a Japanese EV with record-setting 0-97km/h time of 1.74 seconds and a verified top speed of 439km/h.
The Owl was shown as a concept in 2017 – the same year as the Tesla Roadster – and entered production in 2020, before its gob-smacking performance earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2024.
The same year, Mr Musk said the Tesla Roadster would accelerate from 0-97km/h in less than 1.0 second, although the company's website still quotes the previous 2.1-second figure.
There's also the Rimac Nevera, a quad-motor electric hypercar that makes 1570kW and has a top speed of 412km/h, which set EV records at tracks including the famous Nurburgring in Germany.
Chinese brands are also getting into the electric hypercar battle, with the Yangwang U9 – a quad-motor EV made by BYD – boasting 960kW, a 0-100km/h time of 2.36 seconds and a 392km/h top speed.
Earlier this month, GWM showed the silhouette of a new sports car it has in the works. It claims it will be "better than a Ferrari" and the unnamed model could employ a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
MORE: Everything Tesla
MORE: Elon Musk claims Tesla Roadster will hit 60mph in under 1 second
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
The head of vehicle engineering at Tesla says the US automaker's long-awaited Roadster performance flagship, unveiled in concept form back in November 2017, hasn't been cancelled and that it will be "the last best driver's car" when it eventually arrives in showrooms.
When it was revealed almost eight years ago, the two-seat electric sports car was claimed to offer 0-60mph (97km/h) acceleration in just 2.1 seconds, a stratospheric 400km/h top speed and a long 1000km driving range.
The Roadster's price on Tesla's website remains $US66,000 ($A101,352) and the company has taken $US50,000 ($A76,782) deposits since 2020, the year production was originally scheduled to start.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
But the American EV-maker is yet to unveil a final showroom version of the Roadster, or confirm timing for the launch of the production version, let alone when or indeed whether it will become available in Australia.
Now, Tesla's engineering chief Lars Moravy says the Roadster is still on the way and development is continuing.
"We spent a lot of time in the last few years rethinking what we did, and why we did it, and what would make an awesome and exciting last best driver's car," Moravy said in Tesla's takeover of social media platform X.
"We've been making it better and better, and it is even a little bit more than a car. We showed [Tesla CEO] Elon [Musk] some cool demos last week and tech we've been working on, and he got a little excited."
Mr Moravy's "more than a car" comment could reference Mr Musk's 2018 statement claiming "The new Tesla Roadster can fly".
No firm launch timing or technical details were offered, but to become the world's quickest and fastest EV the Tesla Roadster would have to topple the Aspark Owl SP600 – a Japanese EV with record-setting 0-97km/h time of 1.74 seconds and a verified top speed of 439km/h.
The Owl was shown as a concept in 2017 – the same year as the Tesla Roadster – and entered production in 2020, before its gob-smacking performance earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2024.
The same year, Mr Musk said the Tesla Roadster would accelerate from 0-97km/h in less than 1.0 second, although the company's website still quotes the previous 2.1-second figure.
There's also the Rimac Nevera, a quad-motor electric hypercar that makes 1570kW and has a top speed of 412km/h, which set EV records at tracks including the famous Nurburgring in Germany.
Chinese brands are also getting into the electric hypercar battle, with the Yangwang U9 – a quad-motor EV made by BYD – boasting 960kW, a 0-100km/h time of 2.36 seconds and a 392km/h top speed.
Earlier this month, GWM showed the silhouette of a new sports car it has in the works. It claims it will be "better than a Ferrari" and the unnamed model could employ a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
MORE: Everything Tesla
MORE: Elon Musk claims Tesla Roadster will hit 60mph in under 1 second
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
The head of vehicle engineering at Tesla says the US automaker's long-awaited Roadster performance flagship, unveiled in concept form back in November 2017, hasn't been cancelled and that it will be "the last best driver's car" when it eventually arrives in showrooms.
When it was revealed almost eight years ago, the two-seat electric sports car was claimed to offer 0-60mph (97km/h) acceleration in just 2.1 seconds, a stratospheric 400km/h top speed and a long 1000km driving range.
The Roadster's price on Tesla's website remains $US66,000 ($A101,352) and the company has taken $US50,000 ($A76,782) deposits since 2020, the year production was originally scheduled to start.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
But the American EV-maker is yet to unveil a final showroom version of the Roadster, or confirm timing for the launch of the production version, let alone when or indeed whether it will become available in Australia.
Now, Tesla's engineering chief Lars Moravy says the Roadster is still on the way and development is continuing.
"We spent a lot of time in the last few years rethinking what we did, and why we did it, and what would make an awesome and exciting last best driver's car," Moravy said in Tesla's takeover of social media platform X.
"We've been making it better and better, and it is even a little bit more than a car. We showed [Tesla CEO] Elon [Musk] some cool demos last week and tech we've been working on, and he got a little excited."
Mr Moravy's "more than a car" comment could reference Mr Musk's 2018 statement claiming "The new Tesla Roadster can fly".
No firm launch timing or technical details were offered, but to become the world's quickest and fastest EV the Tesla Roadster would have to topple the Aspark Owl SP600 – a Japanese EV with record-setting 0-97km/h time of 1.74 seconds and a verified top speed of 439km/h.
The Owl was shown as a concept in 2017 – the same year as the Tesla Roadster – and entered production in 2020, before its gob-smacking performance earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2024.
The same year, Mr Musk said the Tesla Roadster would accelerate from 0-97km/h in less than 1.0 second, although the company's website still quotes the previous 2.1-second figure.
There's also the Rimac Nevera, a quad-motor electric hypercar that makes 1570kW and has a top speed of 412km/h, which set EV records at tracks including the famous Nurburgring in Germany.
Chinese brands are also getting into the electric hypercar battle, with the Yangwang U9 – a quad-motor EV made by BYD – boasting 960kW, a 0-100km/h time of 2.36 seconds and a 392km/h top speed.
Earlier this month, GWM showed the silhouette of a new sports car it has in the works. It claims it will be "better than a Ferrari" and the unnamed model could employ a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
MORE: Everything Tesla
MORE: Elon Musk claims Tesla Roadster will hit 60mph in under 1 second
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
The head of vehicle engineering at Tesla says the US automaker's long-awaited Roadster performance flagship, unveiled in concept form back in November 2017, hasn't been cancelled and that it will be "the last best driver's car" when it eventually arrives in showrooms.
When it was revealed almost eight years ago, the two-seat electric sports car was claimed to offer 0-60mph (97km/h) acceleration in just 2.1 seconds, a stratospheric 400km/h top speed and a long 1000km driving range.
The Roadster's price on Tesla's website remains $US66,000 ($A101,352) and the company has taken $US50,000 ($A76,782) deposits since 2020, the year production was originally scheduled to start.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
But the American EV-maker is yet to unveil a final showroom version of the Roadster, or confirm timing for the launch of the production version, let alone when or indeed whether it will become available in Australia.
Now, Tesla's engineering chief Lars Moravy says the Roadster is still on the way and development is continuing.
"We spent a lot of time in the last few years rethinking what we did, and why we did it, and what would make an awesome and exciting last best driver's car," Moravy said in Tesla's takeover of social media platform X.
"We've been making it better and better, and it is even a little bit more than a car. We showed [Tesla CEO] Elon [Musk] some cool demos last week and tech we've been working on, and he got a little excited."
Mr Moravy's "more than a car" comment could reference Mr Musk's 2018 statement claiming "The new Tesla Roadster can fly".
No firm launch timing or technical details were offered, but to become the world's quickest and fastest EV the Tesla Roadster would have to topple the Aspark Owl SP600 – a Japanese EV with record-setting 0-97km/h time of 1.74 seconds and a verified top speed of 439km/h.
The Owl was shown as a concept in 2017 – the same year as the Tesla Roadster – and entered production in 2020, before its gob-smacking performance earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2024.
The same year, Mr Musk said the Tesla Roadster would accelerate from 0-97km/h in less than 1.0 second, although the company's website still quotes the previous 2.1-second figure.
There's also the Rimac Nevera, a quad-motor electric hypercar that makes 1570kW and has a top speed of 412km/h, which set EV records at tracks including the famous Nurburgring in Germany.
Chinese brands are also getting into the electric hypercar battle, with the Yangwang U9 – a quad-motor EV made by BYD – boasting 960kW, a 0-100km/h time of 2.36 seconds and a 392km/h top speed.
Earlier this month, GWM showed the silhouette of a new sports car it has in the works. It claims it will be "better than a Ferrari" and the unnamed model could employ a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
MORE: Everything Tesla
MORE: Elon Musk claims Tesla Roadster will hit 60mph in under 1 second
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
7 minutes ago
- Perth Now
2025 Foton Tunland price and specs: Budget utes bring American looks for Chinese money
Foton is back, and it's once again entering a market teeming with affordable Chinese utes, and once again under-cutting Australia's most popular Thai-built models. Unlike last time, when the previous Tunland ute contended with what was known as Great Wall, as well as ZX Auto and JMC before eventually being axed, this time it's up against a rebranded and increasingly sophisticated GWM, as well as stalwart LDV and new entrant JAC. It's doing this with the backing of Subaru distributor Inchcape, and is once again using the Tunland nameplate. This time, it's applied to a radically different-looking pair of dual-cab utes. Gone is the pleasant, safe styling of the old Tunland, and in its place is a look that owes more to American full-size pickups than any of its similarly priced rivals. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The V7 is the one you see here that looks rather like a Ford F-150 if you take off your glasses, while the V9 is the one that looks awfully like a Ram 1500. You won't miss them on the street, thanks not only to their bold styling but also dimensions that make them larger than top-selling utes like the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, and an array of bold exterior paint colours including Lightning Purple. Foton says the V7 is more fleet-focused, offering a payload of over 1000kg, while the V9 – thanks to its multi-link rear suspension – offers a smoother ride and greater refinement. Pricing starts at $39,990 before on-road costs for the V7-C 4×2, and tops out at $49,990 plus on-roads for the V9-S 4×4. Supplied Credit: CarExpert For context, the GWM Cannon dual-cab range is priced from $40,490 drive-away, and the LDV T60 Max range is currently being offered from $41,253 drive-away in model year 2025 (MY25) Pro auto guise. The larger GWM Cannon Alpha opens at $52,990 drive-away. The first Tunlands will start arriving from the third quarter of this year, so before the end of September. Foton will have dealers in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the ACT, with 'further growth planned' ahead of the first vehicles coming ashore. The company says it has locally tested the Tunland across tens of thousands of kilometres of Australian roads, both sealed and unsealed, while also putting it through its paces off-road to ensure it's suitable for local conditions. Supplied Credit: CarExpert While Foton has published a detailed list of specifications, it hasn't confirmed whether it will offer capped-price servicing. Also unknown are fuel economy figures, and whether the Tunland will come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Tunland V7 and V9 differ in rear suspension – the former has a live axle with leaf springs, while the latter features a multi-link rigid axle. Supplied Credit: CarExpert However, they share the same turbo-diesel mild-hybrid powertrain and ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission. The V7 is offered with either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, but the V9 is four-wheel drive-only. The four-wheel drive system features auto, 2H, 4H and $L modes. All four-wheel drive Tunlands have a locking rear differential, while the flagship V9-S 4×4 also gains a locking front differential. Foton has yet to publish fuel economy or emissions figures. At 5617mm long on a 3355mm wheelbase, the Foton Tunland sits between a Ranger dual-cab (5370mm long, 3270mm wheelbase) and a short-wheelbase Ford F-150 pickup (5884mm long, 3694mm wheelbase). Supplied Credit: CarExpert The Foton Tunland is backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Foton hasn't announced any capped-price servicing scheme. The Foton Tunland has yet to be tested by ANCAP. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Standard safety equipment across the range includes: Adaptive cruise control Autonomous emergency braking Blind-spot monitoring Lane-keep assist Lane centring Rear cross-traffic alert Surround-view camera Front and rear parking sensors Safe exit warning Traffic sign recognition The V9-S 4×4 also has a driver monitoring system. There are four variants in the Tunland lineup. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The V7-C 4×2 comes standard with the following equipment: Spray-in tub liner Highway Terrain tyres Eco, Standard, Sport drive modes Electronic parking brake Auto hold Automatic LED headlights Integrated dash cam 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system 2 x front USB-A outlets 4-speaker sound system Single-zone air-conditioning 6-way manually adjustable driver's seat 4-way manually adjustable passenger seat The V7-C 4×4 adds: Four-wheel drive system Sand, Mud, Snow modes Locking rear differential All-terrain tyres The V9-L 4×4 adds: Multi-link rear suspension 'Premium' side steps 'Premium' 18-inch wheel design Sports bar Lockable tray Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors Heated front seats 6-way power driver's seat with 4-way lumbar 4-way power passenger seat Dual-zone climate control 6-speaker sound system 2x rear USB-A outlets 220V/300W power outlet Auto-dimming rear-view mirror The V9-S 4×4 adds: Locking front differential Roof rails Rear privacy glass Panoramic sunroof Ventilated front seats Driver seat memory Heated outboard rear seats LED rear reading light Auto up/down for all power windows Flare White is the standard exterior paint finish, with the following available for an extra $690: Galaxy Silver Titanium Grey Phantom Black Fire Red Diamond Blue Aurora Green Lightning Purple MORE: Explore the Foton Tunland showroom
7NEWS
37 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Honda Australia says EVs are 'not the goal'
Honda Australia says its parent company's 2050 Net Zero emissions target doesn't include a goal to sell only electric vehicles (EVs). As part of its recently revealed future product plan, the Japanese automaker's local division said updates to its best-selling CR-V mid-size SUV and HR-V small SUV would see hybrids account for 90 per cent of its overall sales by this time next year – up from 53 per cent currently. Honda Australia also confirmed the mid-2026 arrival of the born-again Honda Prelude sports car, which will come with a hybrid powertrain. The focus will then shift to EVs, however. Honda Australia says its first all-electric model will arrive in local showrooms in the second half of 2026, with the wild 0 Series model range on the cards for Australia. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. 'A point I want to make with that is that BEVs [battery-electric vehicles] are not the goal,' said Jay Joseph, who was appointed Honda Australia CEO in March 2025. 'Battery-electric vehicles are a pathway to achieving carbon neutral – not necessarily the only pathway. 'BEVs will continue to improve – we're working on solid-state batteries – but our goal is carbon neural, not battery-electric vehicles,' Mr Joseph this year, Honda Motor Co pulled back on its goal for EVs to account for 30 per cent of its global sales by 2030, cutting almost one-third from the ¥10 trillion (A$105 billion) budget it previously set aside for EV development. At the same time, the company set up and began producing solid-state EV batteries – which promise longer range, faster recharging and lower manufacturing costs – on a new dedicated production line in January'That's [electrification] just the obvious pathway in the near to mid term, but we'll develop other technologies that help achieve that as well,' said Mr Joseph. 'We would like that to include electrified fuel cell vehicles when the infrastructure is there.' Honda offers a fuel-cell electric (FCEV) version of the CR-V overseas, with the US-market version offering a claimed 434km (EPA) range from a tank of hydrogen. It can also be plugged into a charger to provide up to 47km of range. Other automakers working on FCEVs include Hyundai and Toyota – although Stellantis recently announced it was ditching the technology. 'That's a bit of a chicken and egg conundrum – there won't be vehicles deployed until there's enough infrastructure, there won't be enough infrastructure until enough vehicles support demand. So we are working on both ends of that equation in different parts of the world,' added Mr Joseph. 'For the automakers, one of the ways to achieve carbon neutrality is to transition people's relationship with energy for mobility. The near-team pathway is electrifying that, and that means BEVs.'
Perth Now
37 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Honda Australia says EVs are 'not the goal'
Honda Australia says its parent company's 2050 Net Zero emissions target doesn't include a goal to sell only electric vehicles (EVs). As part of its recently revealed future product plan, the Japanese automaker's local division said updates to its best-selling CR-V mid-size SUV and HR-V small SUV would see hybrids account for 90 per cent of its overall sales by this time next year – up from 53 per cent currently. Honda Australia also confirmed the mid-2026 arrival of the born-again Honda Prelude sports car, which will come with a hybrid powertrain. The focus will then shift to EVs, however. Honda Australia says its first all-electric model will arrive in local showrooms in the second half of 2026, with the wild 0 Series model range on the cards for Australia. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'A point I want to make with that is that BEVs [battery-electric vehicles] are not the goal,' said Jay Joseph, who was appointed Honda Australia CEO in March 2025. 'Battery-electric vehicles are a pathway to achieving carbon neutral – not necessarily the only pathway. 'BEVs will continue to improve – we're working on solid-state batteries – but our goal is carbon neural, not battery-electric vehicles,' Mr Joseph this year, Honda Motor Co pulled back on its goal for EVs to account for 30 per cent of its global sales by 2030, cutting almost one-third from the ¥10 trillion (A$105 billion) budget it previously set aside for EV development. Supplied Credit: CarExpert At the same time, the company set up and began producing solid-state EV batteries – which promise longer range, faster recharging and lower manufacturing costs – on a new dedicated production line in January'That's [electrification] just the obvious pathway in the near to mid term, but we'll develop other technologies that help achieve that as well,' said Mr Joseph. 'We would like that to include electrified fuel cell vehicles when the infrastructure is there.' Honda offers a fuel-cell electric (FCEV) version of the CR-V overseas, with the US-market version offering a claimed 434km (EPA) range from a tank of hydrogen. It can also be plugged into a charger to provide up to 47km of range. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Other automakers working on FCEVs include Hyundai and Toyota – although Stellantis recently announced it was ditching the technology. 'That's a bit of a chicken and egg conundrum – there won't be vehicles deployed until there's enough infrastructure, there won't be enough infrastructure until enough vehicles support demand. So we are working on both ends of that equation in different parts of the world,' added Mr Joseph. 'For the automakers, one of the ways to achieve carbon neutrality is to transition people's relationship with energy for mobility. The near-team pathway is electrifying that, and that means BEVs.' MORE: Explore the Honda showroomMORE: Honda sheds more light on its electric car plans
