Tesla Roadster To Have 10 SpaceX Thruster Hidden Behind License Plate

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is saying the incredible new feature on Tesla’s new Roadster 2020 all-electric battery-powered four-seater sports car -- the 10 rocket engines for more maneuverability -- might even allow the car to fly.

Well, these rocket engines are technically called “cold air thrusters” but they’ll do the same job as your standard, everyday fiery rocket engines. Musk said these small rocket engines will “dramatically improve acceleration, top speed, braking and cornering.”

He also said, tongue-in-cheek, that these engines “maybe even allow a Tesla to fly.” The 10 cold gas thrusters will be mounted on a “SpaceX package” Roadster that will be capable of rocketing from 0 to 97 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in 1.9 seconds.

This feat will make this machine the fastest street legal production car ever. Range will come to 620 miles.

And these are only the base specs. Other versions will likely be faster and sport cool new features. Musk has been teasing those specs as the “base specs” in an effort to drum-up sales for these hugely expensive machines. He’s also said that higher-performance trim levels will be available beyond the base specs.

Tesla has been taking reservations for the $200,000 base version (whose deposit comes to $50,000) since late 2017. The first 1,000 Roadsters in the Founders Series will retail at an eye-popping $250,000.

It’s still unclear what those 10 cold gas thrusters are going to look like. Musk, however, claims they’ll be subtle; the rear thruster will be hidden behind the license plate.

Jamming these cold thrust engines into a Roadster’s interior is going to take some doing. Musk has said the SpaceX package will mean removing the backseat of the Roadster so the thruster’s air tank and compressor can fit inside the interior.

The 10 cold gas thrusters will be installed to improve maneuverability. Each will consist of an electric pump to recharge an air tank ejecting compressed air through propelling nozzles to generate a cold jet thrust. The air tanks are based on the "composite overwrapped pressure vessel" (COPV) also used in the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. They will replace the back seats.

The thrusters will be used to improve cornering, acceleration, top speed, and braking. Working pressure will come to 10,000 psi (700 bar).