White House says we got flying cars before GTA 6

Elon Musk unveiled a thruster-equipped Tesla Roadster in Texas the day before the post, while Tesla says its planned flying model is not approved for public-road use.

The White House posted on X on Oct. 16: “We really got flying cars before GTA 6.”¹ The post followed Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s unveiling of a thruster-equipped Roadster at a SpaceX facility in Texas the day before, CBS News reported².

“We really got flying cars before GTA 6”

The White House

The spectacle has limited financial implications: Wall Street analyst Dan Ives of Yorkville Ives told CBS News that investors should not expect the Roadster to drive Tesla’s growth².

The demonstration showcased the engineering behind that spectacle: high-powered fans and thrusters helped the Roadster climb an inverted ramp, spin and land on the pavement, TechCrunch reported³. Musk said the propulsion came from “ultra high-pressure air tanks,” according to CBS News².

Tesla engineering vice president Lars Moravy said 10 thrusters connected to 600 liters of compressed air could lift and spin the car, TechCrunch reported. Tesla also showed the Roadster accelerating from zero to 60 miles per hour in one second³.

Production remains a future promise: Musk said Tesla would begin building the Roadster in 2028 and did not announce a price, CBS News reported². Tesla unveiled the second-generation Roadster in 2017 and initially expected deliveries within a few years, according to TechCrunch³.

Musk postponed the project in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024. Even the latest reveal faced a setback: Tesla attempted to hold it on Oct. 1, but severe weather forced another delay³.

Beyond the production timetable lies a regulatory question: the Federal Aviation Administration told CBS News that the vehicle does not meet its definition of an aircraft. Tesla’s website says the planned flying model is not approved for public-road use².

White House says we got flying cars before GTA 6

Sources