'No Guarantee' Tesla Roadster Will Be Delivered. Here's What Legal Fine Print Reveals

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Thursday (Oct 15) unveiled its second-generation Roadster sports car with rocket-style thrusters, helping it briefly soar high up in the sky. The demonstration immediately went viral across social media, with some users impressed by the futuristic-looking car, while others were more apprehensive about it actually being street-safe and allowed for public use. Whatever the future of the car, it seems certain that both hobbyists and daily-use customers should not expect to take the Roadster out for a spin anytime soon.

The terms and conditions on Tesla Roadster's reservation page, where customers can submit a token amount of $50,000 to reserve the car, clearly state that there is no guarantee that the car will be delivered.

"You understand that Roadster is still under development at the time you entered into this Agreement and so we cannot guarantee when your vehicle will actually be delivered or if it will be delivered," reads the statement under section 4 (Delivery).

Additionally, the purchase price of the car is yet to be finalised. Meaning, only an estimate has been provided by Tesla, and based on the hardware features, the price may increase in the future.

"The estimated Purchase Price of the vehicle, if provided, is only an estimate. We are still working on what options, features and hardware the vehicle will have and so cannot confirm the exact price just yet. Your Purchase Price will ultimately be confirmed once you've configured your vehicle."

Lastly, it is still not confirmed where exactly the customers will be able to drive the Roadster. During the event, Musk said he was "not sure it's necessarily legal in all jurisdictions". Quizzed if it would be street-legal, Musk gave a vague reply.

"Depends on your street. But it'll be a viable car," the billionaire said.

The flying Rocket variant shown in the demo is invite-only. It's listed on Tesla's website with the caveat that it is "not approved for public road use."

Roadster's Tumultuous History

Tesla boss Musk unveiled the Roadster in 2017 amid much fanfare as a performance-oriented EV. The company claimed that the Roadster could accelerate from 0 to 96 kmph in 1.9 seconds with a top speed of 402 kmph whilst offering a 620-mile range (997 km).

However, the sports car never went into production. In 2024, Musk said the new Roadster had not come out yet because "it's the cherry on the icing on the cake" and there are "other projects taking precedence before its launch". The new demo news had sparked hopes that the car may roll out of the factory soon. However, the addition of the rocket thrusters is expected to further the wait.