Shares of Tesla popped 4% in Friday’s pre-market trade to $375 apiece after the electric vehicle maker unveiled a redesigned Roadster powered by rocket-style thrusters developed in collaboration with SpaceX, whose shares climbed 1%.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled what he described as a “flying” car, equipped with thrusters, during a livestreamed event at his SpaceX rocket company's facility on Thursday. Musk revealed his new Roadster sports car during a launch event at a SpaceX test facility in Texas.
During the demo, which was livestreamed on Tesla's X account, the car launched from a steep steel ramp and performed a full barrel roll in mid-air before landing on its wheels.
“Flying cars are real,” Musk said during the event. He added that while the vehicle's “success is not guaranteed... it will probably work.”
The sports car did not have a driver during the demo “to make sure we don't kill anyone,” he added. Musk said the car was equipped with 10 nozzles and “ultra-high-pressure air tanks” to propel itself into the air and accelerate quickly on the ground.