Tesla's Roadster: A New Date, Same Old Questions

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has picked April 1, 2026, as the unveiling date for the second-generation Tesla Roadster. This announcement came during Tesla's annual shareholder meeting, nearly nine years after Musk first talked about this high-performance electric supercar. Choosing April Fool's Day for the reveal seems like a joke, but Musk said it gives him some "deniability" if the date changes again. Just last week, Musk hinted that the Roadster might debut by the end of 2025. Now, he's saying the car will look very different from what was shown before. He also promised an "exciting demo, " whether it works or not. This is a big deal because the Roadster has been one of Tesla's most mysterious projects. It was first revealed in 2017 as the world's fastest production car, with a 0-60 mph time of under two seconds. Musk has also teased the idea of SpaceX-designed cold-gas thrusters, making people wonder if the car could even fly. If that happens, it could change the game for electric cars. For Tesla fans and EV enthusiasts, the Roadster is the top example of Musk's vision for performance and design. Some people, like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, have been waiting over seven years for their preordered cars. Altman even tried to cancel his order and get a refund, which led to a small argument with Musk on X (formerly Twitter). Musk said production will likely start 12 to 18 months after the 2026 reveal, putting the release window between mid-2027 and early 2028. The world will be watching to see if Musk keeps his promise this time and if the Roadster can live up to all the hype.