The Tesla Roadster Might Not Actually Get Built

Tesla’s next-generation Roadster is here (or at least so they're saying; take it with a Cybertruck-sized grain of salt), and it promises supercar performance and rocket technology, but there’s a rather expensive catch: Paying to reserve one doesn’t guarantee you’ll ever actually get the car.

It's just about the most Tesla thing Tesla can do, and it's just another addition to the ever-growing list of failed and unlikely-to-be-upheld promises surrounding the new Roadster.

According to InsideEVs, Tesla’s reservation agreement for the new Roadster makes it clear that the Roadster remains under development — even despite the car now being "official" and supposedly going into production in 2028 — and that the company cannot promise a delivery date, even though the aforementioned 2028 date is now out in the open.

Even worse is that in the fine print of Tesla's agreement is a line that says the brand can't even guarantee that the vehicle will ever, ultimately reach customers.

Reservations are said to require payments ranging from $50,000 to $250,000, depending on the configuration of the car that buyers may never be able to put their hands on. That’s a substantial sum to put down on a car that still lacks a confirmed production timeline. In essence, the payment secures an approximate place in line rather than a guaranteed vehicle, but in reality it's just a way for Tesla to raise funding they can use as investment capital without ever having to make good on promises.

There is some protection for prospective buyers. Tesla says reservations remain refundable until a formal vehicle purchase agreement is signed. The company also reserves the right to change the Roadster’s specifications, features, and equipment before production, while its final price remains undetermined.

None of this will come as a surprise to anyone who has followed the Roadster’s lengthy development. Tesla unveiled the second-generation electric sports car in 2017, originally targeting production for 2020. Years of delays have followed, leaving buyers waiting while the promised machine remains unfinished, or anywhere close to reality. Don't let the recent press event with the infamous "flying" car convince you otherwise; none of this is any real proof of concept, rather just a showy way to keep people on the hook.

Tesla now points toward 2028 for production, but the latest target is hardly a guarantee. The Roadster could eventually deliver the performance, technology, and party tricks that Tesla has promised, but — like other Tesla products — buying into the hype and reserving one requires a considerable leap of faith. For a quarter-million-dollar commitment, customers should expect more certainty than a place in line and a promise that the car could arrive "someday."

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