Tesla is pushing back the Roadster debut to October 15. The storm is giving it two weeks.
Tesla has moved the Roadster outdoor demonstration from October 1 to October 15, 2026. The company announced the change on X and cited predicted severe storms in central Texas. The issue is that the weather is expected to improve within two or three days.
The Roadster Will Float Above the Ground
The event is set to take place at SpaceX’s rocket test site in McGregor near Waco. The plan involves demonstrating the Roadster with a set of cold gas engines developed by SpaceX. The car is supposed to lift off the ground without a person in the cabin, with spectators kept several hundred yards away, or several hundred meters.
We have been closely monitoring the weather with local meteorologists, but due to the predicted severe conditions and the fact that the event can only be held outdoors, we made the difficult decision to reschedule it. The new date is October 15.
— wrote Tesla on X.
Roadster event update
We've been tracking the weather closely with local meteorologists, but given the severe conditions predicted & because this event can only be held outdoors, we've made the difficult decision to reschedule.
New date is October 15. Additional details to…
— Tesla (@Tesla) September 28, 2026
The forecast for October 1st really doesn’t look good. Open-Meteo indicated an 82 percent chance of precipitation, storms, wind gusts around 30 miles per hour, or 48 km/h, as well as over 4 inches of rain. That’s more than 100 mm of water.
On Friday, the risk of precipitation remains at 81 percent, but the amount will drop below half an inch, with wind gusts around 21 miles per hour. On Saturday, the chance of rain decreases to 53 percent, and wind speeds drop to 13 miles per hour. From October 5th to 7th, the forecasts don’t predict any measurable precipitation.
The area after such heavy rain may need to be dried, and visitors must change their travel plans. Still, a 14-day supply seems generous for a storm expected to pass by the weekend.
The prototype was shown in 2017, production could start in 2028
Tesla unveiled the second-generation Roadster in November 2017 and planned to begin production in 2020. The debut of the “flying” car was supposed to take place before the end of 2025. Later, dates were pushed back to April 1, 2026, late April, “maybe in a month,” August, and finally October 1.
Now the deadline is October 15, with production still scheduled for 2027 or 2028. The years pass, and the Roadster remains a prototype, although early customers paid $50,000 as a deposit. For the limited Founders Series version, a full $250,000 had to be paid.
An additional two weeks might also be useful for the engineers. Elon Musk is said to have told employees that the demonstration “will be difficult to execute and could go wrong.” A remotely controlled car, gas engines, and an audience several hundred meters away don’t sound like a typical press event.
Lift-off will make for a spectacular show, but after nine years, a final price, certified specifications, and an expected delivery date would be more valuable. What would you like to see on October 15: a floating prototype or a production-ready Roadster with a specific price list?
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