At a demonstration held at SpaceX’s rocket development facility in Texas, Elon Musk showcased a prototype of the new Tesla Roadster—a sports car that performed maneuvers resembling flight, powered by compressed-gas thruster technology. The display included a brief liftoff, an aerial rotation, and a controlled landing; however, the Roadster cannot yet be classified as a "flying car" capable of sustained flight. Following the event, Musk wrote on the social media platform X: "Turns out the future really does have flying cars." Nevertheless, what was demonstrated was more of a test of air-thruster technology than an instance of a car flying over any significant distance.
Jump Using 10 Compressed Gas Nozzles
In this demonstration, a prototype of the Roadster utilized 10 high-pressure nozzles, which drew compressed gas from onboard tanks. The vehicle first adhered to an inclined surface using an underbody suction system, then flipped upside down and rotated. In the main part of the stunt, the car jumped over several parked Teslas and used bursts of compressed gas to slow its descent, ensuring a controlled landing.