Tesla Roadster could hit 0-60 mph in 1.1 sec with SpaceX thrusters

Credit: Casey_S

It’s no surprise that Tesla’s next-gen Roadster is going to be lightning-quick, with a claimed 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds for the base model. However, the addition of SpaceX cold-gas thrusters that will be hidden behind the car’s license plate could drop Roadster’s 0-60 mph time to a dizzying 1.1 seconds.

YouTube channel Engineering Explained used some of Isaac Newton’s basic physics principles to determine that the Roadster could become one of the quickest cars in the world. By plugging in existing information that CEO Elon Musk has revealed about Tesla’s next-gen Roadster, host Jason Fenske determined that the vehicle will weigh roughly 2000 kg (4,400 lbs), which backs into acceleration g-forces of approximately 1.44 G’s

Combined with cold-gas thrusters via an optional SpaceX Package that would enable the vehicle to hover,  Fenske’s calculations puts the Roadster at 2.5 G’s of force from a standstill, which is close to Musk’s prediction. Applying the law of physics where velocity is equivalent to acceleration multiplied by time, Tesla’s next-gen Roadster, with optional thrusters, yields a blistering 0-60 mph acceleration time of 1.1 seconds.

Credit: Engineering Explained | YouTube

If Tesla can engineer the Roadster to achieve this acceleration, the vehicle will become the quickest accelerating production car in the world by a considerable margin. Currently, the cars with the quickest 0-60 mph time are the Ultima Evolution Coupé and the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, which both eclipse the 0-60 mph blast in just 2.3 seconds, according to Autocar.

It would also outperform the Aspark Owl, a Japanese all-electric supercar with claims of 0-60 mph times of 1.7 seconds.

Tesla’s potential to develop one of the quickest production cars in the world is remarkable. The culmination of Tesla’s creativity when it comes to vehicle performance, along with the distinct advantages that electric vehicles hold with instant torque, makes the possibilities of the Roadster even more exciting than before. A 1.1-second acceleration rate from 0-60 mph is unheard of. However, Tesla has continued to break barriers and it is no secret that Musk wants to hold the title of the fastest car in the world.

“We’re going to do things with the new Roadster that are kind of unfair to other cars. (It’s) crushingly good relative to the next best gasoline sports car,” Musk once said.

Watch Engineering Explained show how the Roadster could have 1.1-second 0-60 mph acceleration below.

Joey Klender: Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his time at TESLARATI, Joey has broken several big stories, including the first images of the Tesla Model S Plaid, the imminent release of the 4680 Model Y through EPA certification, and several expansions to the Lucid AMP-1 factory in Arizona, to name a few. His stories have been featured in several publications, including Yahoo! Finance, Fox News, CNET, and Seeking Alpha. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on Twitter @KlenderJoey.
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