Tesla is taking $50k deposits for its next-gen Roadster that nobody's even seen yet so here's your reminder that it never actually produced the last Roadster it took $50k deposits for

Date:
Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:14:08 +0000

Description:
Tesla is taking pre-orders for its next-gen Roadster again, but could this be a repeat of the Cybertruck debacle?

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Tesla has re-opened the order books for its long-awaited Roadster It is asking buyers for a $50,000 deposit Some customers have been waiting since 2017 for news of their cars Tesla has announced that it will finally r eveal the next generation Roadster in
October during a glitzy event in Waco, Texas... although we still really dont know what to expect.

Reports suggest the high-performance EV could use cold-gas thrusters, developed by SpaceX, to produce previously unseen levels of acceleration, while others have stated that the car itself has received a 'Cyber' redesign since the 2017 car was first unveiled. What we do know is that Tesla wants your money. It has r e-opened the reservations list to be among the first allocated build slots of the electric sports car when (or if) it eventually goes on sale.

Similarly to the 2017 launch, the EV company is asking for a $5,000 fully-refundable instant credit or debit card payment, followed by a $45,000 wire transfer due within 10 days to reserve a build slot.

While we are still firmly left in the dark about the final cost of the upcoming Roadster, it was previously stated that customers would have to hand over a further $250,000 for a Founders Series vehicle, which was initially claimed to have been promised for the year 2020. You may like The Tesla Roadsters October reveal looks like another piece of pantomime Tesla Cybercab finally launches but Waymo has a 200-million-mile lead The UKs cheapest EV just got bigger, faster and smarter but Dacia could lose its cut-price crown

Back then, Tesla customers were backing a promise of a 600+ mile electric range, a sub-2 second 0-60mph sprint time and a top speed in excess of
250mph.

Fast-forward nine years and the speculation has been blown up to sci-fi proportions, but more importantly, all of those original customers are yet to receive a new vehicle. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that the October demonstration will be a
banger and that the company needed to invite an audience to vouch for the
fact that this is not AI, but those who placed deposits are likely just
hoping a real vehicle arrives on stage. Analysis: all speculation? (Image credit: Tesla) We can spend hours theorizing about what we might see during Teslas October Roadster event, whether thats a vehicle that hovers for a
brief time or the use of banned F1 aero tech that creates massive amounts of downforce... its all up for discussion.

Alas, its worth noting that Tesla hasnt launched an all-new model since the Cybertruck, which wasnt exactly the success story that the company had hoped. In fact, sales of that model have been in steep decline since its initial reveal in 2023.

The Cybertruck program also proved that it pays to take Teslas facts with a pinch of salt, as everything from its off-road abilities, electric range, build quality and even price have been brought into question during its lifetime.

October 1 will hopefully reveal all. But those queuing to place a deposit should proceed with caution. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/tesla-is-takin g-usd50k-deposits-for-its-next-gen-roadster-that-nobodys-even-seen-yet-so-here s-your-reminder-that-it-never-actually-produced-the-last-roadster-it-took-usd5 0k-deposits-for


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