News
Tesla Roadster will have a “SpaceX option package” that boosts performance beyond base levels
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed that the next-generation Roadster will have a “SpaceX option package” that will upgrade the all-electric supercar’s performance to even higher levels.
Speaking during Tesla’s 2018 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk addressed the room full of investors that range and performance of the Tesla Semi and Roadster prototypes that were unveiled last November will be even better in the final production version. “In particular, the Tesla Roadster. What we unveiled with the Roadster was the base model performance. It’s going to have a SpaceX options package. It’s crazy,” said Musk.
The announcement reinforces a previous statement made about the general specifications of the all-electric supercar. Following its debut, Musk tweeted that there would be a “special option package” that takes the vehicle to the “next level.” In a follow-up tweet, Musk candidly noted that with the special upgrade, the next-gen Roadster would be able to fly “short hops,” considering that applying rocket technology opens up new possibilities for the vehicle.
Not saying the next gen Roadster special upgrade package *will* definitely enable it to fly short hops, but maybe …
Certainly possible. Just a question of safety. Rocket tech applied to a car opens up revolutionary possibilities.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 19, 2017
The specs of the next-gen Roadster with the SpaceX option package could very well be beyond hypercar territory. The base trim of the vehicle, after all, is already equipped with impressive features, such as a top speed of more than 250 mph, a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 8.9 seconds, a 200 kWh battery pack that gives 620 miles of range, and 10,000 Nm of torque from the supercar’s 3 electric motors.
The supercar is also equipped with “Plaid Mode,” Elon Musk’s latest nod to sci-fi comedy film Spaceballs that features even faster acceleration than the Model S P100D and Model X P100D’s Ludicrous Mode. With the SpaceX option, the next-generation Tesla Roadster would practically be an electric rocket on wheels — a vehicle that can, in Elon Musk’s words, truly deliver a “hardcore smackdown” to gasoline cars.
The next-gen Roadster carries much of the practicality that Tesla’s vehicles such as the Model S, Model X, and Model 3 are known for. Despite being a supercar, for example, the next-gen Roadster can seat four passengers, thanks to its 2+2 seating arrangement. Vehicles that feature comparable performance, such as the Koenigsegg Agera R and the Bugatti Chiron, and every vehicle in the hypercar trinity like the Porsche 918 Spyder, the Ferrari LaFerrari, and the McLaren P1, are exclusively 2-seaters.
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- A white next-gen Tesla Roadster makes an appearance during the 2018 annual shareholders meeting. [Credit: Dennis Pascual/Twitter]
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- A white next-gen Tesla Roadster makes an appearance during the 2018 annual shareholders meeting. [Credit: Dennis Pascual/Twitter]
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- A white next-gen Tesla Roadster makes an appearance during the 2018 annual shareholders meeting. [Credit: Dennis Pascual/Twitter]
A white Tesla Roadster prototype is displayed outside of the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA on Tuesday, June 5, 2018 [Credit: Dennis Pascual via Twitter]
More importantly, the $200,000-$250,000 next-generation Roadster is also far more affordable than its gasoline-based competitors. The hypercar trinity, for one, are all in the $1 million price range. The Koenigsegg Agera R and the Bugatti Chiron, on the other hand, are even more expensive, with the former costing $2.1 million and the latter commanding a hefty $2.8 million price tag.
Tesla is starting to feature the next-generation Roadster more frequently on its social media channels and live events. During the company’s first-quarter all-hands promo video, the all-electric supercar’s blistering acceleration and its unique interior were highlighted prominently. Earlier this year, the vehicle was also displayed at Tesla’s Palo Alto headquarters.
Test drives of the next-gen Tesla Roadster are set to begin sometime towards the end of 2019. Production of the vehicle is expected to start in 2020.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk to attend 2026 World Economic Forum at Davos
The Tesla CEO was confirmed as a last-minute speaker for a session with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
Elon Musk is poised to attend the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos. The Tesla CEO was confirmed as a last-minute speaker for a session with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, signaling a thaw in Musk’s long-strained relationship with the event.
A late addition
Organizers of the World Economic Forum confirmed that Elon Musk was added shortly before the event to a Thursday afternoon session, where he was scheduled to speak with Fink, as noted in a Bloomberg News report. Musk’s upcoming appearance marks Musk’s first participation in the forum, which annually draws political leaders, business executives, and global media to Davos, Switzerland.
Musk’s attendance represents a departure from his past stance toward the event. He had been invited in prior years but declined to attend, including in 2024. His upcoming appearance followed remarks from his political ally, Donald Trump, who addressed the forum earlier in the week with a wide-ranging speech.
A previously strained relationship
Musk had frequently criticized the World Economic Forum in the past, describing it as elitist and questioning its influence. In earlier posts, he characterized the gathering as “boring” and accused it of functioning like an unelected global authority. Those remarks contributed to a long-running distance between Musk and WEF organizers.
The forum previously said Musk had not been invited since 2015, though that position has since shifted. Organizers indicated last year that Musk was welcome amid heightened interest in his political and business activities, including his involvement in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk later stepped away from that role.
Despite his friction with the World Economic Forum, Musk has remained central to several global events, from SpaceX’s provision of satellite internet services in geopolitically sensitive regions through Starlink to the growing use of xAI’s Grok in U.S. government applications.
News
Tesla states Giga Berlin workforce is stable, rejects media report
As per the electric vehicle maker, production and employment levels at the facility remain stable.
Tesla Germany has denied recent reports alleging that it has significantly reduced staffing at Gigafactory Berlin. As per the electric vehicle maker, production and employment levels at the facility remain stable.
Tesla denies Giga Berlin job cuts report
On Wednesday, German publication Handelsblatt reported that Tesla’s workforce in Gigafactory Berlin had been reduced by about 1,700 since 2024, a 14% drop. The publication cited internal documents as its source for its report.
In a statement to Reuters, Tesla Germany stated that there has been no significant reduction in permanent staff at its Gigafactory in Grünheide compared with 2024, and that there are no plans to curb production or cut jobs at the facility.
“Compared to 2024, there has been no significant reduction in the number of permanent staff. Nor are there any such plans. Compared to 2024, there has been no significant reduction in the number of permanent staff. Nor are there any such plans,” Tesla noted in an emailed statement.
Tesla Germany also noted that it’s “completely normal” for a facility like Giga Berlin to see fluctuations in its headcount.
A likely explanation
There might be a pretty good reason why Giga Berlin reduced its headcount in 2024. As highlighted by industry watcher Alex Voigt, in April of that year, Elon Musk reduced Tesla’s global workforce by more than 10% as part of an effort to lower costs and improve productivity. At the time, several notable executives departed the company, and the Supercharger team was culled.
As with Tesla’s other factories worldwide, Giga Berlin adjusted staffing during that period as well. This could suggest that a substantial number of the 1,700 employees reported by Handelsblatt were likely part of the workers who were let go by Elon Musk during Tesla’s last major workforce reduction.
In contrast to claims of contraction, Tesla has repeatedly signaled plans to expand production capacity in Germany. Giga Berlin factory manager André Thierig has stated on several occasions that the site is expected to increase output in 2026, reinforcing the idea that the facility’s long-term trajectory remains growth-oriented.
Elon Musk got a brash response from Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, who said in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that the Tesla frontman’s criticism of the airline not equipping Starlink has increased bookings for the next few months.
The two have had a continuing feud over the past several weeks after Musk criticized the airline for not using Starlink for its flights, which would enable fast, free, and reliable Wi-Fi on its aircraft.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk trolls budget airline after it refuses Starlink on its planes
Musk said earlier this week that he was entertaining the idea of purchasing Ryanair and putting someone named Ryan in charge, which would oust O’Leary from his position.
However, the barbs continued today, as O’Leary held a press conference, aiming to dispel any beliefs about Starlink and its use case for Ryanair flights, which are typically short in length.
O’Leary said in the press conference today:
“The Starlink people believe that 90% of our passengers would happily pay for wifi access. Our experience tells us less than 10% would pay; He (Elon) called me a retar*ed twat. He would have to join the back of a very, very long queue of people that already think I’m a retar*ed twat, including my four teenage children.”
He then went on to say that, due to Musk’s publicity, bookings for Ryanair flights have increased over the past few days, up 2 to 3 percent:
“But we do want to thank him for the wonderful boost in publicity. Our bookings are up 2-3% in the last few days. So thank you to Mr. Musk, but he’s wrong on the fuel drag. Non-European citizens cannot own a majority of European airlines, but if he wants to invest in Ryanair, we think it would be a very good investment.”
O’Leary didn’t end there, as he called Musk’s social media platform X a “cesspit,” and said he has no concern over becoming a member of it. However, Ryanair has been very active on X for several years, gaining notoriety for being comical and lighthearted.
🚨 Ryanair CEO’s comments on X and Starlink today at the planned presser.
Strange comments here, it just feels like it’s time to end all this crap https://t.co/NYeG95bM82
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 21, 2026
The public spat between the two has definitely benefited Ryanair, and many are calling for it to end, especially those who support Musk, as they see it as a distraction.
Nevertheless, it is likely going to end with no real movement either way, and is more than likely just a bit of hilarity between the two parties that will end in the coming days.
Elon Musk to attend 2026 World Economic Forum at Davos
Tesla states Giga Berlin workforce is stable, rejects media report
