Tesla unveils SpaceX‑powered Roadster, fuels merger speculation
Tesla shows a hovering Roadster built with SpaceX tech, while prediction markets rate a merger above 50% for early 2027.
Key facts
- Tesla unveiled a next‑generation Roadster at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas.
- The prototype can hover using SpaceX thrusters and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under a second.
- Musk said production would begin in 2028.
- Kalshi reported that traders set odds above 50% for a Tesla‑SpaceX merger before March 2027.
- Barclays analyst Dan Levy said a merger could be announced before Tesla’s 2026 annual meeting.
Tesla showed a white Roadster at a SpaceX test site in McGregor, Texas, on 15 October 2026. The livestream began at 7:55 p.m. local time. The prototype can hover using SpaceX thrusters and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under a second, according to Tesla’s timer. Musk said production would begin in 2028.
The car uses a steer‑by‑wire system, a steering yoke, and SpaceX technologies such as thrusters, carbon overlay pressure vessels, diffusers, and fans. Musk said the vehicle is not necessarily safety‑optimized and may not be street‑legal. Tesla reopened reservations for the refreshed Roadster, accepting $50,000 deposits in the U.S., Canada and China.
Kalshi reported that traders set odds above 50% for a Tesla‑SpaceX merger before March 2027, up from 29% earlier in the week. The odds for a merger before April and May also climbed to similar levels. The contract will be verified by news outlets and the SEC’s EDGAR database.
Barclays analyst Dan Levy said a merger could be announced before Tesla’s 2026 annual meeting. He also said a merger may be proposed as an AI vertical integration involving Tesla’s Robotaxi and Optimus with SpaceX’s Grok and Macrohard. SpaceX is valued at about $2 trillion, while Tesla’s market cap is $1.4 trillion.
Context
Tesla and SpaceX are both controlled by Elon Musk. The two companies have collaborated before and have shared personnel. The merger speculation has increased after SpaceX’s IPO in June 2026.
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