Tesla says the next-generation Roadster will enter production in 2028, according to the closing slides of its reveal livestream on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, as reported by BGR's liveblog and Sawyer Merritt. That is eight years after the 2020 start Tesla promised when it first showed the car in November 2017. No price was announced.

How the date slipped

Musk told shareholders in November 2025 that production would come "probably about 12-18 months" after the first live demo, which was then planned for April 2026, Electrek reported at the time. The demo itself moved to October 1 and then to tonight, after weather scrubbed the first date. A 2028 start fits the late end of that window.

What reservation holders know

  • Performance deposit: $50,000 on Tesla's site (historically $5,000 up front and a separate $45,000 wire within 10 days, per BGR).
  • Thrust deposit: $250,000 down payment, per Engadget and TechCrunch after the reveal.
  • Rocket: invite only; Tesla.com says it is not approved for public road use.
  • Founders Series: 1,000 places at $250,000, some paid as far back as late 2017, WSJ autos reporter Christopher Otts said.
  • 2017 base price: $200,000, a figure Tesla has not updated since. Final MSRP still not disclosed.

What Tesla didn't answer

As of the end of the stream, Tesla had not disclosed a price, a customer delivery date, or how 2017 deposits convert into orders. After the show Tesla posted Performance / Thrust / Rocket configurations and a range bound of >300 miles on X, but still no dollar figure. Tesla reports third-quarter results on Oct. 21, per BGR, the next chance for executives to put numbers on the car. Musk did say the Roadster will eventually be the only Tesla built to be driven by hand, per Engadget. CNBC separately confirmed the 2028 production timing and that no price was announced.

Reserve now still live

Tesla.com/roadster still shows "Reserve now" after the reveal. Configurations are listed, but the price remains not disclosed.

More from tonight: 0-60 in 0.81 seconds and config targets, the SpaceX and Optimus hardware inside, and our pre-event guide for reservation holders.