Skip to main content

Tesla’s new Roadster 0-60 mph acceleration gets downgraded to 2.1 secs ‘without rocket thrusters’

Elon Musk appears to have updated the new Tesla Roadster’s 0-60 mph acceleration.

The CEO now says that the vehicle will accelerate to 60 mph in 2.1 secs and the previously announced 1.9 seconds time is only going to be achievable by “adding rocket thruster option.”

When first unveiling the vehicle, Musk claimed a list of insanely impressive specs for the new Roadster, including 0-60 mph in 1.9 sec, 620-mile of range, and more.

Musk has been teasing those specs as the “base specs” and other versions could be even crazier.

Later, he even said that Tesla will offer a “SpaceX package” that will include cold air thrusters to result in even higher performance.

Now the CEO says that the new Tesla Roadster’s 0-60 mph under the base configuration is going to be 2.1 seconds:

That would be a downgrade from what he previously announced.

We thought that he might have been confusing it with the 0-100 km/h time, which Tesla was always advertising as 2.1 seconds.

Though he specifically mentioned the 0 to 60 mph time.

At the launch, Musk specifically said that 1.9 seconds is what they are achieving now and the prototype clearly didn’t have any “rocket thruster.”

Although, when he said that the specs of other versions would be better, he didn’t specify which specs.

Tesla has been trying to bring the vehicle to market by 2020 and make it the quickest and fastest production car on the market — and it just happens to be all-electric.

However, Musk has recently been tempering expectations on the timing of Roadster production.

The automaker is currently taking reservations for the $200,000 base version with an expensive $50,000 deposit and for the $250,000 Founders Series with an even more insane $250,000 deposit.

Tesla brought the prototype to its shareholder’s meeting earlier this month and we got to watch Tesla Roadster’s special steering wheel in action.

Musk has said that the production interior of the Roadster “will be better, especially in details.”

Electrek’s Take

Obviously, 2.1 seconds is crazy fast too, but I think there was something appealing about getting the time under 2 seconds.

It sounds like you are still going to be able to do it, but you are going to need to get the SpaceX package with cold air thrusters.

This is apparently replacing the rear seats and therefore, some potential buyers are probably going to not want it.

Although, I think in that segment of the auto market, the super/hypercar segment, most people are going to go with the performance.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.

Comments

Author

Avatar for Fred Lambert Fred Lambert

Fred is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at Electrek.

You can send tips on Twitter (DMs open) or via email: fred@9to5mac.com

Through Zalkon.com, you can check out Fred’s portfolio and get monthly green stock investment ideas.