Remember the new Tesla Roadster? Honestly, we wouldn’t blame you if it slipped your mind—it was first teased eight years ago with all the fanfare you could imagine. Back then, Elon Musk was promising a production car, but the world had other plans.
Costs soared, supply chains freaked out, politics got messy, and a pandemic didn’t help—leaving what’s likely to be a pricey, low-volume, niche car stuck in limbo.
Fast-forward to now, and the Roadster’s delays have basically turned into a running joke. Maybe that’s why Musk says it’ll finally debut on April Fools’ Day. No, really—April 1.
Next-gen Tesla Roadster set to debut April 1, 2026
At the 2025 shareholder meeting, Elon Musk—fresh off getting the green light for his wild $1 trillion pay package—finally dropped some Roadster news after being pressed a few times.
One eager shareholder practically begged for an invite to the unveiling, and Musk promised it would be “the most exciting product unveil ever.”
We can almost hear Tim Kuniskis over at Ram and SRT laughing at the idea of any real competition.
Later, Musk threw out some vague teasers, saying the Roadster will pack tech other Teslas won’t have. But the real scoop came near the end of the Q&A, when someone asked point-blank: “Is there any timeline for the next Roadster?”
“That demo event will be April 1 of next year. I have some deniability, because I could say I was just kidding. But we are actually tentatively aiming for April 1 for what I think will be the most exciting – whether it works or not – demo ever of any product.”
Musk also teased that the car—dubbed the Roadster 2—will be “very different from what we’ve shown before.” He added that production won’t start until 12 to 18 months after the debut, meaning some fans who’ve been waiting a decade won’t get behind the wheel until 2027.
Deja vu, anyone?
Should we take Musk’s latest Roadster promise at face value? His track record in recent years suggests otherwise—lots of hype, not always delivery. Before the April 1 reveal, the Roadster was supposed to drop by the end of the year, yet a recent Tesla job posting showed the final design isn’t even locked in.
The delays aren’t just a Roadster thing. The Cybertruck, unveiled at the same time, took years to arrive and ended up pricier than expected. Musk promised a $25,000 “affordable” version, but it turned out to be a stripped-down Model 3 for $37,000.
Meanwhile, the Model S and Model X are starting to feel ancient by car standards. Former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares even wonders if Tesla will still be around in 10 years.
Musk has more incentive than ever to actually deliver. His $1 trillion pay package hinges on hitting a bunch of sales and performance targets.
The massive offer was meant to keep him locked in at Tesla, but with SpaceX, xAI, or even the U.S. government potentially calling, does Musk really need more money to focus on the company?
Maybe we’ll get an answer next April Fools’ Day. Or maybe not.
Source: Tesla, CarBuzz
