Last updated: October 2026
Tesla is one of the most searched companies in the world, and also one of the hardest to keep up with. In just the last year it has launched cheaper “Standard” versions of its best-selling cars, ended production of the Model S and Model X, started building a driverless Cybercab, and reported a third quarter that beat Wall Street’s expectations. This guide pulls it all together: what Tesla sells today, how the latest delivery numbers look, where robotaxis and self-driving stand, and how investors read Tesla’s results.
In this guide:
- Tesla at a glance
- Tesla’s lineup in 2026
- Q3 2026 deliveries explained
- Beyond cars: energy, FSD, robotaxi and Optimus
- How investors read Tesla’s numbers
- Risks and open questions
- Thinking of buying a Tesla?
- FAQ
Tesla Roadster 2026: Specs, Price and Release Date
Tesla unveiled the production version of its second-generation Roadster on October 15, 2026, at an event outside Waco, Texas. The electric sports car was first shown as a prototype in November 2017, when Tesla promised production in 2020. After years of delays, the redesigned car has finally appeared, but Tesla did not announce a price, and Elon Musk said production would start in 2028.
The three Roadster versions
| Version | Seats | 0-60 mph (Tesla’s claim) | Key feature | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | 2 | Under 1.6 seconds | Active aerodynamics and a suction system | By reservation |
| Thrust | 2 | Under 0.9 seconds | Rear cold-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX | Limited release |
| Rocket | 1 | Under 0.59 seconds | Thrusters around the car for upward and rotational movement | Invite only |
Tesla’s figures, as reported at the event, include more than 300 miles of range and a top speed above 230 mph. The thrusters use compressed air rather than rocket fuel. During the demonstration, the car used them to jump over other Tesla vehicles.
Tesla Roadster price
Tesla has not announced a price for any version. What it did announce are reservation payments:
- Performance: $50,000 total. Tesla describes the first $5,000 as fully refundable, with another $45,000 due within 10 days or the reservation may be canceled.
- Thrust: $250,000 reservation.
- Rocket: invitation only.
For comparison, the 2017 concept was announced with a $200,000 base price, a $250,000 Founders Series, a claimed range of 620 miles and a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds. According to Tesla’s reservation agreement, a reservation does not constitute the purchase or order of a vehicle, and any estimated price is only an estimate.
Tesla Roadster release date
Musk said production would begin in 2028, and reports say it would be built at Gigafactory Texas. Tesla has not given a delivery date. The company has also missed this car’s deadlines many times: production was first promised for 2020, then pushed back repeatedly, and in November 2025 Musk said it would begin in 2027 or 2028.
What to keep in mind
- The 2028 date is a target, not a guarantee.
- There is no final price yet. Read the reservation terms carefully before putting down any money.
- Road legality is unclear. It is not yet clear whether the thruster versions will be road-legal.
- It is unlikely to move Tesla’s near-term numbers. With low expected volumes and a 2028 start, the Roadster is mostly a showcase for Tesla’s engineering. The Model 3 and Model Y still drive deliveries.
How much does the Tesla Roadster cost?
Tesla has not announced a final price. Reservations cost $50,000 for the Performance version and $250,000 for the Thrust version, and the Rocket version is invite only. A reservation is not a purchase or an order.
When will the Tesla Roadster be released?
Elon Musk said production will start in 2028. Tesla has not given a delivery date, and earlier Roadster timelines were missed several times.
Can the new Tesla Roadster fly?
Not in the way an aircraft does. The thruster versions use compressed-air thrusters developed with SpaceX to briefly lift off the ground, jump and rotate. At the unveiling, the car jumped over other Tesla vehicles.
Tesla at a Glance
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas |
| CEO | Elon Musk (early investor from 2004, CEO since 2008) |
| Stock ticker | TSLA (Nasdaq) |
| Main products | Electric vehicles, energy storage (Megapack and Powerwall), Full Self-Driving software, Robotaxi service |
| Q3 2026 deliveries | 486,532 vehicles |
| Q3 2026 energy storage deployed | 13.7 GWh |
Tesla’s Lineup in 2026
Tesla’s lineup has gotten smaller and simpler. According to industry reports, its active new-car range now centers on the Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck, with the Model S and Model X having ended production earlier this year.
| Model | Type | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Model 3 | Sedan | A lower-priced “Standard” version arrived in the U.S. with a starting price of $36,990 at launch. |
| Model Y | SUV | Tesla’s volume leader. Together with the Model 3 it accounted for 478,237 of the 486,532 vehicles delivered in Q3 2026. A Standard version launched at just under $40,000. |
| Cybertruck | Pickup truck | Deliveries began in late 2023. Tesla reports it inside “Other Models,” which delivered 8,295 vehicles in Q3 2026. |
| Model S / Model X | Luxury sedan / SUV | Production ended in 2026, according to industry reports. |
| Semi | Electric truck | Tesla has said Semi production is starting in 2026. |
| Cybercab | Two-seat robotaxi | No steering wheel or pedals. Built for Tesla’s Robotaxi service. Production began in April 2026 at Gigafactory Texas. |
Prices and trims change often, so check Tesla’s website for current pricing before you decide anything. The launch prices above are the ones reported when the Standard versions were introduced.
Tesla Q3 2026 Deliveries Explained
On October 2, 2026, Tesla reported its third-quarter production and delivery numbers. Here is how they compare with the previous quarter and with the same quarter last year:
| Period | Vehicle deliveries |
|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 486,532 |
| Q2 2026 | 480,126 |
| Q1 2026 | 358,023 |
| Q3 2025 (record quarter) | 497,099 |
A few things stand out:
- It beat expectations. Tesla’s own compilation of analyst forecasts averaged about 461,974 deliveries, so the actual number came in roughly 25,000 higher.
- The year-over-year comparison is distorted. Q3 2025 was a record partly because U.S. buyers rushed to claim the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which expired on September 30, 2025. Landing within about 2% of that record without the credit was seen by many observers as a solid result.
- Inventory shrank. Tesla produced 464,391 vehicles but delivered 486,532, which means it sold roughly 22,000 more cars than it built, drawing down inventory for the second quarter in a row.
- Energy storage grew. Tesla deployed 13.7 GWh of storage products, up from 12.5 GWh in Q3 2025.
- Nine-month total: about 1.32 million vehicles delivered from January through September 2026.
Beyond Cars: Energy, FSD, Robotaxi and Optimus
Energy storage
Tesla’s energy business sells large Megapack batteries to utilities and developers, and Powerwall batteries to homes. It is one of the steadier parts of the company, and Tesla has said Megapack 3 is on schedule for production starting in 2026.
Full Self-Driving (Supervised)
Despite the name, “FSD (Supervised)” still requires the driver to pay attention and be ready to take over. In its Q2 2026 update, Tesla said record FSD subscriptions and that over 55% of new North American deliveries included an FSD subscription. It also reported regulatory approvals in several European countries, including the Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark and Belgium.
Robotaxi and the Cybercab
Tesla’s Robotaxi service has been running with unsupervised rides in a small number of U.S. cities. As of Tesla’s April 2026 earnings report, that meant Austin, Dallas and Houston. Tesla announced it had started producing the Cybercab in April 2026, and says it is preparing to expand the service to more metros through testing, permitting and first-responder training.
On the April earnings call, Elon Musk said he hoped to have unsupervised FSD or Robotaxi operating in roughly a dozen states by the end of 2026, but also said he expected robotaxi revenue not to be very material this year. Management targets like these are goals, not guarantees. Musk himself has acknowledged in the past that he tends to be too optimistic about timelines.
Optimus
Optimus is Tesla’s humanoid robot project. In its Q2 2026 update, Tesla said first-generation production lines were being installed in anticipation of production in 2026. It is still an early-stage business and not a meaningful source of revenue today.
How Investors Read Tesla’s Numbers
If you follow Tesla’s stock (ticker TSLA), these are the numbers analysts watch most closely:
- Deliveries versus production. Deliveries show demand, and the gap versus production shows whether inventory is building or shrinking.
- Automotive gross margin. Selling more cars helps less if each one earns less, especially when Tesla cuts prices or adds cheaper trims.
- Energy storage deployments. A growing, higher-margin business that diversifies Tesla away from cars alone.
- FSD adoption and robotaxi progress. Much of the long-term investment story depends on autonomy, so updates here move sentiment.
- Capital spending and free cash flow. Building Cybercab, Semi and Optimus lines takes money.
Tesla itself cautions that deliveries and energy deployments are only two measures of performance and should not be used alone to estimate quarterly financial results. Tesla scheduled its full Q3 2026 earnings report for October 21, 2026, after the market close, with a live webcast that day.
Also remember that a stock does not always rise when a company beats expectations. We explain why in our guide on why stocks sometimes fall on good news.
Risks and Open Questions
- Dependence on two models. Model 3 and Model Y made up about 98% of Q3 deliveries, so Tesla’s car business leans heavily on them.
- Autonomy timelines. Large parts of Tesla’s growth story rely on driverless technology scaling, and regulation, safety and execution all matter.
- Policy changes. The end of the U.S. federal EV tax credit shows how incentives can swing demand from one quarter to the next.
- Competition and pricing. The EV market is crowded, and pricing pressure can squeeze margins.
Thinking of Buying a Tesla?
If you are shopping rather than investing, keep these points in mind:
- Compare the Standard and higher trims carefully, since the cheaper versions drop some features.
- Check Tesla’s website for current prices, available incentives and delivery times in your area, because they change often.
- The $7,500 U.S. federal tax credit expired on September 30, 2025, so factor that into your budget. State and local incentives may still apply.
- Confirm charging access at home and on your usual routes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cars did Tesla deliver in Q3 2026?
Tesla delivered 486,532 vehicles in the third quarter of 2026 and produced 464,391, according to its production and delivery report.
Does Tesla still make the Model S and Model X?
According to industry reports, production of both ended in 2026, leaving the Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck as the main active passenger models, plus the Semi and Cybercab for commercial and robotaxi use.
What is the Tesla Cybercab?
The Cybercab is a two-seat autonomous vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals, designed to work in Tesla’s Robotaxi fleet. Tesla began production at Gigafactory Texas in April 2026.
Is Tesla’s Full Self-Driving really self-driving?
FSD (Supervised), the version sold to customers, requires the driver to stay attentive and ready to take over. Unsupervised driving is limited to Tesla’s Robotaxi service in select cities.
Is Tesla stock a good buy?
We can’t tell you that, and no one can promise it. Tesla’s stock reflects big expectations about autonomy, robots and energy as well as car sales, which makes it volatile. Read the company’s filings, think about how it fits in a diversified portfolio, and only invest money you can afford to lose.
When did Tesla report its Q3 2026 earnings?
Tesla scheduled its full third-quarter financial results for October 21, 2026, after the market close, with a webcast at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
The Bottom Line
Tesla in 2026 is a company in transition: a car business that still depends on two core models, an energy business that keeps growing, and a long-term bet on autonomy and robotics that has not yet shown up fully in revenue. Whether you are a buyer, an investor or just curious, the best approach is to follow the actual numbers and treat bold timelines with healthy skepticism.
Sources and disclaimer: Tesla’s Q3 2026 production and deliveries report (Form 8-K) and Q2 2026 update (Form 8-K); Tesla earnings coverage and delivery analysis from Electrek, EV Wire and DriveTeslaCanada; industry lineup reports. Figures are as of October 2026 and may change. This article is for general information only and is not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.