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The reservation fee for the Performance version is $50,000, while for the Thrust version it is $250,000; the single-seat Rocket version is available only for invited purchases. Musk stated that production will begin in 2028.
Tesla's website states that this "flying" version has not been approved for use on public roads, and there are currently no reports regarding FAA or road safety approvals.
Almost everyone is talking about it, but almost no one will be able to possess it in the short term – if they ever are able to at all.
"Real life, baby." —— Tesla (@Tesla) October 16, 2026
The trick to making this car “fly” is the air conditioning propellers ( cold-gas thrusters ), which essentially spray compressed air from nozzles instead of burning rocket fuel. Lars Moravy, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering at Tesla, stated that 10 propellers are connected to 600 liters of compressed air, and Tesla also borrowed some SpaceX technology to achieve this.
From the paper data, this vehicle has a top speed of over 230 miles per hour, a range of over 300 miles, and an acceleration from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 1 second. The test time on the track was 0.81 seconds, while Tesla claims that the performance for the single-seater Rocket model is less than 0.59 seconds.
Tesla has not yet announced the official prices of any versions, but its reservation page shows that the Performance version costs $50,000, and the Thrust version costs $250,000. A down payment of $5,000 is required, with the remaining amount to be paid in full within 10 days.
Rocket is a version designed around a complete flying system, capable of accommodating 1 person. It has no listed price and is available for purchase only by invitation. Musk stated that production of this version will begin in 2028.
Therefore, if you want to get this car, you need to be one of the few people selected.
Tesla's official website also stated that the flying version has not been approved for use on public roads; when Musk was asked whether this vehicle could be legally driven on the road, he replied, "It depends on your street." There are currently no reports regarding FAA or road safety approvals, so even if you received an invitation, you wouldn't be able to drive it to work.
To legalize a "flying car," it may require at least two regulatory agencies: American automobile manufacturers need to prove that their vehicles meet federal safety standards through self-certification, while airplanes require an airworthiness certificate from FAA. This agency indicates that certifying a new model could take anywhere from 5 to 9 years.
Regarding flying cars, there are not many documented cases in history. One of the closest precedents is Alef Aeronautics; its Model A prototype obtained an experimental airworthiness certificate from FAA in June 2023, allowing for flight testing, and this was seen as a step towards obtaining a type certification.
Therefore, there's a high likelihood that you will also need a special license in order to drive a vehicle that is also considered an airplane.
Hovering is another challenge: A paper published in Joule in 2021 pointed out that electric aircraft require 500 to 900 watts per kilogram for hovering, and 150 to 350 watts per kilogram during cruising.
In simple terms, the battery must release energy more quickly than during normal flight. Tesla's cooling solution avoids this issue, which is probably why the demonstration showed jumping and flipping, rather than flying from one place to another.
