Tesla to Delay its High-Performance Roadster, Claims Elon Musk on Podcast

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

The Tesla Roadster is one of the most anticipated electric vehicles of the decade. With the Roadster, Tesla was going to firmly plant itself as the king of high-performance EVs. The second generation of the Roadster is expected to have impressive specifications and an insane price tag. Unfortunately, the world is going to have a wait a little longer for the release of the Roadster, because it's been delayed.

Roadster Not A Priority

During his second appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, Tesla CEO Elon Musk explained that the upcoming Roadster will take a backseat when it comes to going into production. Before worrying about the Roadster, Tesla will focus on increasing production of the Model Y, constructing a vehicle factory in Berlin, and beginning deliveries of the Cybertruck, claims Reuters.

"Roadster is kind of like dessert," said Musk in the podcast, states the outlet. "We gotta get the meat and potatoes and greens and stuff."

While Musk never came out with a formal timeline for the Roadster when the electric vehicle was unveiled back in 2017, the car was expected to arrive in 2020. Reuters claims that Roadster sales were supposed to begin after Tesla came out with an updated version of the Model S sedan. That was supposed to happen at the end of 2020.

Possible New Production Schedule

With all of those things taking priority over the Roadster, Digital Trends believes the vehicle is set to enter production before the end of 2021 – and that's being optimistic. Production of the Cybertruck is set to begin before the end of 2021, though that could be pushed back as Tesla hasn't found a location to build its factory to manufacture the electric pickup yet. Quite a few states are bidding for Tesla's business. The Semi, an all-electric semi-truck, has been delayed recently, as well, to 2021. Clearly, the Roadster has a difficult road ahead of itself.

It's a shame that consumers will have to wait a few more years to see the Roadster, because the specifications were expected to be ludicrous. Musk previously stated that the Roadster would have a range of 620 miles from a 200-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, a top speed of 250 mph, and a zero-to-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds. The high-performance electric vehicle will reportedly start at $200,000 for base models and $250,000 for Founders Series models.

For Tesla, focusing on other models, especially ones that will make up the brand's core lineup, is certainly the rationale decision. Tesla was flooded with interest for the Cybertruck and the electric pickup war is set to heat up within the next few years. Getting a strong foothold in the segment before competitors enter the scene is vital to give Tesla a major hand up on the competition.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods