Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced today that the electric car manufacturer has made public all design and engineering details of its original Roadster, marking a significant move that has fueled speculation about the potential implications for the delayed next-gen Roadster.
Covering everything from Owner’s Manuals to Circuits and Connectors, the open-source release encompasses the entirety of the original Roadster’s design and engineering, providing insights into Tesla’s initial foray into electric vehicles dating back to 2008.
The timing of this disclosure, occurring at the close of 2023, has led to speculation regarding its connection to the production timeline of Tesla’s next-gen Roadster, which has faced multiple delays. Originally slated for delivery in 2020, challenges and competing vehicle projects have pushed back the release of the high-performance supercar.
See also: Tesla’s Second-Generation Roadster Faces Further Delays as Tesla Shifts Focus
All design & engineering of the original @Tesla Roadster is now fully open source.
Whatever we have, you now have.https://t.co/5d10soAYr8
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 22, 2023
Elon Musk acknowledged earlier this year that the company was testing the patience of reservation holders for the Roadster. He stated that the final design and engineering work on the next-gen Roadster is expected to conclude by the end of 2023, with a tentative production start by the end of 2024. Musk’s previous estimations on the Roadster’s readiness have faced skepticism, similar to the ongoing delays in the delivery of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite.
See also: Reviving Forgotten Tesla Roadsters: Abandoned in China, They Now Garner a Whopping $2 Million Bid
While the Cybertruck, set for imminent deliveries, poses its own challenges for Tesla, Musk has indicated that it may take 18 months to ramp up production. Meanwhile, the development of the anticipated $25,000 vehicle could potentially take precedence over the Roadster due to fiscal considerations and its anticipated broader impact on electric vehicle adoption.
As the electric automaker opens the archives of its pioneering Roadster project, industry observers and Tesla enthusiasts await further clarity on the timing and progress of the next-gen Roadster’s production.
