Tesla’s long-delayed next-generation Roadster is expected to briefly lift off the ground at SpaceX’s rocket test site in McGregor, Texas, in a demonstration that could come as soon as August 2026, according to reporting by The Information, which cited sources familiar with the plans. The report was picked up on Aug. 14, 2026, by outlets including Electrek, Benzinga and StreetInsider, all tracing back to that original account. Neither Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA | TSLA Price Prediction) nor SpaceX has officially confirmed the details.
What Is Actually Being Shown
The vehicle is best described as a hovering car rather than a science-fiction flying car. According to The Information, the Roadster is equipped with SpaceX-developed cold gas thrusters, internally code-named “A71,” that allow the car to lift off the ground briefly. The concept has reportedly been scaled back from earlier, more elaborate plans, which included driving up a magnetized ramp and driving upside down, to something closer to a straightforward hover.
The demo vehicle will be remotely operated with no driver inside, and spectators will reportedly need to stay several hundred yards back because the thrusters are loud enough to cause hearing damage at close range. The limited-edition Roadster will not be street-legal and is expected to cost in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Musk has reportedly told staff internally that the demo “could go wrong.”
Track Record
The next-generation Roadster has missed its delivery date at least eight times since reservations opened in 2017.
The Stock
Tesla shares are down 24.41% year to date, falling from $449.72 at the end of 2025 to $339.96 at Thursday’s Aug. 13, 2026 close. The stock traded at $338.90 on Friday, Aug. 14, down 0.31%. Over the past month, shares are down 14.19%, from $396.18 on July 14, 2026.
There are brighter spots in the data. Tesla is up 6.39% over the past week, from $319.53 on Aug. 6, 2026, and roughly flat over a full year, up 0.17% from $339.38 on Aug. 13, 2025. Over five years the stock is up 42.21%, from $239.06 on Aug. 13, 2021. Coverage has described Tesla as trailing every other “Magnificent Seven” stock in 2026.
Why the Stock Is Down
Analysts and coverage have cited several factors. Vehicle deliveries have plateaued since 2023, stalling revenue growth. Operating margin has compressed to roughly 4.6% over the trailing 12 months, down from a historical peak above 15%. Tesla has guided for roughly $25 billion in capital expenditures in 2026, about double prior spending, which weighs on near-term profitability through depreciation. And investor attention and capital have rotated toward other AI-linked names, including SpaceX itself, reducing Tesla’s relative appeal as a growth story.
SpaceX remains privately held and does not trade publicly, so investors cannot directly price Musk’s other moonshot bets alongside Tesla.
What to Watch
Whether a brief, remotely operated hover at a Texas test site moves shareholders focused on deliveries, margins and capital spending is an open question. The demonstration has not been officially scheduled by Tesla or SpaceX, and Musk himself has reportedly warned staff it could go wrong.
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