Tesla Roadster India Booking Open
Tesla has opened bookings for its second-generation Tesla Roadster electric supercar in India, following its dramatic unveiling at a SpaceX facility in Texas. Interested customers can reserve the Roadster through Tesla’s website by paying an initial Rs 5,01,000. However, that’s only the first instalment. Tesla requires buyers to complete significantly larger reservation payments within 10 days, depending on the selected configuration.
Tesla Roadster Variant Booking Amounts
| Variant | Initial Payment | Additional Payment | Total Reservation Cost |
| Performance | Rs 5.01 lakh | Rs 45.05 lakh | Rs 50.06 lakh |
| Thrust | Rs 5.01 lakh | Rs 2.45 crore* | Rs 2.50 crore* |
| Rocket | Invitation only | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
*Thrust’s exact additional payment is Rs 2,45,24,000, taking the total to Rs 2,50,25,000.
More importantly, these are reservation payments, not the Roadster’s final prices. Tesla has not announced its official Indian ex-showroom pricing.
Tesla Roadster Has Three Variants, Including One That Can Fly
The new Roadster is offered in three variants: Performance, Thrust and Rocket. The standard Performance variant is a two-seater electric supercar intended for road use. It features active aerodynamics and an underbody suction system designed to generate substantial downforce.
The Thrust version adds rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters, which Tesla claims can propel the car from 0 to 60 mph (96.6 kmph) in under a second.
However, the most extreme version is the Rocket. Limited to invite-only customers, it gets additional thrusters positioned around the vehicle to generate upward and directional thrust, allowing airborne manoeuvres. It is configured as a single-seater and is not approved for public-road use.
Tesla Roadster Performance And Range
The redesigned Roadster is considerably different from the prototype first revealed in 2017. Tesla demonstrated the new car performing airborne manoeuvres, including jumping over obstacles and using its suction system to maintain grip while inverted. The targeted top speed to be achieved exceeds 370 kmph, alongside a driving range of over 480 km. But, for now its a targeted figure, and we would need to wait to see how much of this would be achieved by the end of the development timeline.
When Will The Tesla Roadster Arrive In India?
Although bookings have opened, Indian customers could face a considerable wait. Tesla is targeting 2028 for the start of Roadster production, with initial vehicles expected to use a left-hand-drive configuration.
That creates additional uncertainty around Indian availability, particularly because India is a right-hand-drive market. The brand has not confirmed an Indian launch date, local homologation or customer delivery timeline yet.
For now, Tesla’s Indian lineup consists of the Tesla Model Y and the larger Tesla Model Y L, making the Roadster a very different proposition from its existing family-focused EVs.
What We Think Of This
Tesla opening Roadster reservations in India is significant, particularly considering its extreme performance ambitions and expectations from it. However, the Rs 5.01 lakh initial payment is only a fraction of the total reservation requirement. With production scheduled for 2028 and no confirmed Indian delivery timeline, prospective buyers are effectively reserving a future vehicle whose final pricing and specifications remain undecided.
