Tesla to unveil long-delayed Roadster on October 1, Musk says

Tesla will unveil its long-delayed next-generation Roadster on October 1, CEO Elon Musk said, nearly a decade after the electric-vehicle maker first revealed plans for a new version of its original sports car.

The company's account on social media platform X, which is also owned by Musk, posted "Go for launch" alongside a graphic showing the date. Musk replied to the post with the words "New Tesla Roadster Unveil 10.01".

Tesla first showed the next-generation Roadster in 2017 and said at the time that deliveries would begin in 2020. The programme has since faced repeated delays.

The unveiling could include a demonstration of a limited-edition version fitted with cold-gas thrusters developed in collaboration with SpaceX, with the demonstration expected to take place at SpaceX's test facility in McGregor, Texas.

The Roadster programme has reportedly evolved from a conventional high-performance electric vehicle into an all-new carbon-fibre hypercar, after Tesla abandoned an alternative approach based on Model S Plaid components.

The announcement comes after Tesla last week began offering rides in its two-seater Cybercab, which has no steering wheel or pedals, in limited areas of Austin, Texas. Musk has described that vehicle as central to transforming Tesla into a dominant force in driverless vehicles.