Tesla’s madness goes beyond “flying”: you’ll have to pay up to 250,000€ in 10 days if you want one in your garage
10/16/2026 9:00 PM
Updated to
10/16/2026 9:00 PM
Tesla has once again stunned the automotive industry with the unveiling of its new Roadster, a fully electric sports car that promises performance levels hard to imagine in a production vehicle. After nearly a decade of anticipation, Elon Musk’s company has finally unveiled its most radical concept yet, featuring versions capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in less than 1 second and even performing aerial maneuvers thanks to a propulsion system developed in collaboration with SpaceX. However, the impressiveness of this project extends beyond its technical specifications to include its commercial terms as well.
The American manufacturer has already launched its official reservation page, where interested parties can make initial payments to secure a unit. And the amounts are by no means small. While the ‘Performance’ version requires a total deposit of 50,000 euros, the ‘Thrust’ variant raises this figure to 250,000 euros. Most strikingly, Tesla demands that this payment be completed within just 10 days, even though it has not yet announced the final price of the car.
Up to 250,000 euros in reservation fees with only 10 days to pay
Tesla has set different financial conditions depending on the version chosen. For the Roadster Performance, the entry-level model, the customer must first pay 5,000 euros by credit card and complete a bank transfer of another 45,000 euros within 10 days. This results in a total deposit of 50,000 euros. However, the situation changes significantly when the Thrust version is selected, which is the most powerful of the two configurations currently available for reservation.
In this case, Tesla keeps the first payment at 5,000 euros, but raises the second transfer to 245,000 euros. Therefore, the buyer must pay a total of 250,000 euros within a maximum of 10 days from when they place the reservation. Additionally, this version is available in limited quantities of one unit per customer. The third variant, called 'Rocket', does not have a conventional reservation process, as Tesla will only allow access to it through invitation.
The most surprising thing is that these amounts do not correspond to the final price of the cars, but only to the deposits required to reserve them. Tesla has not yet announced how much each version will cost, nor has it detailed its final prices including taxes and other fees. Therefore, even those who pay a quarter million euros for the Roadster Thrust will have to wait to find out the total cost of their future purchase.
Three versions, impossible accelerations, and one that promises to fly
The new Tesla Roadster will initially be available in three distinctly different configurations. The Performance model will have two seats and promises to accelerate from 0 to 96 km/h in less than 1.6 seconds. Above it will be the Thrust model, also two-seater, which features cold gas thrusters positioned at the rear of the vehicle. Thanks to this system developed using SpaceX technology, Tesla claims an acceleration from 0 to 96 km/h in under 0.9 seconds.
The most radical version will be the Roadster Rocket, designed as a single-seater and equipped with thrusters distributed around its chassis. These devices would enable vertical movements and aerial maneuvers, similar to those demonstrated during the sports car’s presentation. Tesla claims that this configuration can achieve 0 to 96 km/h acceleration in less than 1 second, though its extreme features prevent it from being considered a conventional car approved for road use. All of these specifications are currently based on figures announced by the brand.