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Tesla Roadster celebrates 10-year production anniversary
The original Tesla Roadster is celebrating its 10th anniversary today, with the Elon Musk-led firm declaring the official start of the car’s production on March 17, 2008. Back then, everything was different for Tesla, but some of the problems it was facing were quite similar to those the company is facing now.
Ten years ago, Tesla, then a small electric car startup, was struggling to meet the demand for its first and only offering — a high-performance electric car dubbed the Roadster. The car proved popular enough that Tesla had a list of reservations for the vehicles. During that time, Tesla’s target was producing one Roadster per week; and even then, there were delays in the production of the vehicle.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk would later state that the Roadster “broke down all the time and really didn’t work.” Despite this, however, the original Roadster was pivotal in shifting the public’s perception of electric cars. No longer were electric vehicles glorified golf carts that run out of charge after a few miles. The Roadster was fast, sleek, and it had decent range — a combination that Tesla would ultimately adopt for the rest of its lineup.
In a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle, filmmaker Chris Paine, who directed the 2006 film Who Killed the Electric Car and its sequel, the 2011 follow-up titled Revenge of the Electric Car, was one of those who placed reservations for the original Tesla Roadster. According to the director, he was not even sure if he would ever get the car or get a refund for his reservation, considering Tesla’s startup status.
Paine described a meeting with then-Tesla chairman Elon Musk, where they visited the Roadster’s assembly plant at Menlo Park. The building had a number of Roadsters in it, but Tesla could not ship because they had issues. Paine had a camera crew with him, and in front of the camera, Musk approached Roadster No.23 and asked about the car’s problem. A Tesla employee told Musk that the vehicle’s drivetrain was acting up. Paine then realized that the white No.23 Roadster was his own reservation. Musk, for his part, found the situation quite humorous.
“This is your car? This is actually your car? OK! Well, you’ve heard the explanation now. So I guess hopefully it’ll have a powertrain tomorrow. It’s a nice car. I was just thinking; actually, it’s a nice choice of colors,” Musk said.
Paine eventually got his Roadster, albeit at a later than expected date. Despite Musk’s statement that the car “broke down all the time,” the filmmaker told the publication that the electric car actually turned out to be reliable. Ten years down the road, Roadster No.23 is still around, and still as fast and fun as before. Paine also noted that today, his car has turned into a novelty, even when he visits a Tesla Service Center.
“You drive the car in for service, and all the technicians come out and look at it — ‘Hey, that’s a Roadster!’ Yes, it is a weird feeling,” Paine said.
Golden Gate Electric Vehicle Association president Dan Miller also holds a special place for his original thunder gray Tesla Roadster, which he purchased back in 2011. He currently owns a Model S, but states that the first-generation Roadster is a true high-performance electric vehicle that he can actually drive like a real sports car.
“The Roadster is really driving, and the S does everything for you, especially with Autopilot. If you really want to drive, you drive the Roadster.”
Current Model X owner Tom Saxton also has fond memories of his Roadster. According to Saxton, the Roadster was not a very practical vehicle. It was small, and its luggage space was tiny. Despite this, however, Saxton noted that he just gets reactions from people when he drives the Roadster — something that he does not experience with his Model X.
“It is a very impractical car — it only holds two people and a very small amount of luggage — but it’s a lot of fun. The X is a lot more comfortable and sophisticated, but I don’t get people cheering and waving when they see me in the X,” Saxton said.
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- Credit: Casey_S
The Roadster is and will always be the car that started it all for Tesla. Now a 10-year veteran in the electric car industry, Tesla is trying to meet a far more ambitious goal than its one vehicle per week target back in 2008, with the company trying to manufacture 5,000 Model 3 per week by the end of Q2 2018. Considering its humble beginnings, Tesla’s progress in the automotive world is truly impressive.
If any, the original Tesla Roadster will likely live on longer than most automobiles. After all, just last month, Elon Musk’s space firm, SpaceX, launched the Falcon Heavy on its maiden voyage, carrying a unique payload — Musk’s own Tesla Roadster — into space. The car is now orbiting the solar system as we speak.
The Roadster is also set to have a successor too, with Elon Musk announcing late last year that the next-generation Roadster is now under development. The next-gen Roadster is everything the original was, and more, boasting a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds and a top speed of more than 250 mph, as well as 620 miles of range.
Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.
If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.
FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:
- But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
- This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
- As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
- For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.
This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025
The convenience of…
FSD user’s tale:
- As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
- During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
- In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
- “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
- “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.
The video:
- Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
- The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
- While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
- Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.
Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025
full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
Cool inside jokes:
- The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
- From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
- The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
- The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.
Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?
Cybertruck keys:
- The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
- The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
- As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.
The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:
- Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
- As per Tesla’s description of the item:
- “Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
- In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.
Tesla Cybertruck merch push:
- Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
- These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
- Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
- Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
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