Unfiltered View on the New Roadster
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently touched on the unveiling of the next-generation Roadster, offering comments that quickly raised eyebrows. Speaking on the Moonshots podcast, Musk said the upcoming performance electric vehicle will not prioritize safety, going so far as to discourage potential buyers if safety is their top concern.
For an EV promised to rocket from zero to 60 mph in just 1.9 seconds, it would seem reasonable to expect safety to remain a central focus for the new Roadster. After all, Tesla likely cannot afford another regulatory or reputational setback – especially as federal regulators continue to probe the EV maker over safety concerns tied to its products, including the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system.
🚨 Elon on the Roadster unveiling, scheduled for April 1:
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 6, 2026
The Ferrari Comparison
Musk justified his statement by pointing to Ferrari buyers, arguing that customers do not purchase the Italian marque’s cars with safety as their primary consideration. That comparison highlights how Ferrari ownership is often linked to prestige and, for others, outright performance. He told the Moonshots podcast (via Teslarati on X):
“Safety is not the main goal. If you buy a sports car or buy a Ferrari, safety is not the number one goal.” He added, “If safety is your number one goal, don’t buy the Roadster.”
Despite the bluntness of those remarks, Musk clarified that Tesla aspires “not to kill anyone” with the new Roadster. The long-delayed EV, whose concept debuted in 2017, is instead positioned as what Musk described as the “best of the last of the human-driven cars.” That framing suggests the model is intended to serve as a performance benchmark before fully autonomous vehicles eventually dominate the market.
Chasing the Performance Benchmark
In that context, the Roadster would compete in the same halo-performance tier as the Rimac Nevera and Lotus Evija. Early reports indicate the upcoming Roadster will offer features like a tri-motor powertrain and a claimed range of up to 620 miles. If achieved, that figure would surpass the current production benchmark set by the Lucid Air, which boasts an EPA-rated range of 512 miles.
More details are expected once Tesla officially unveils the Roadster on April 1. Coincidentally, the date falls on April Fool’s Day, which some may view skeptically given the company’s history of ambitious timelines and optimistic claims. But if the company ultimately delivers on its promises, the nameplate would mark a significant step forward from its predecessor, which was introduced in 2008 – at a time when the EV market was still almost non-existent.
