Tesla is set to end the long wait for the next-gen Roadster

Tesla (TSLA) will hold its next-generation Roadster event in Waco, Texas, on Thursday night. This is the second date for the event after the company moved the event from October 1, citing severe weather and the fact that the demo can only be held outdoors. Elon Musk noted high winds as a factor, which increased speculation that the car will leave the ground.

The Waco location for the event is close to SpaceX's (SPCX) McGregor rocket test site. Reports indicate the FAA closed airspace up to 10K feet on Wednesday, which could indicate a practice run for the Roadster going vertical.

The Roadster was Tesla's (TSLA) first production car, with sales running from 2008 to 2012. Importantly, the Roadster is widely considered the EV that changed the industry by showing consumers a lithium-ion battery sports car could deliver both real-world range and high performance. Built on a heavily modified Lotus Elise chassis with an AC induction motor and a roughly 200-mile real-world range, it sold in limited numbers at prices around and above six figures, with total production of about 2,450 units before the program ended as Tesla (TSLA) shifted focus to the Model S. A second-generation Roadster was first unveiled as a prototype in 2017 as an all-electric supercar promising sub-2-second 0–60 mph acceleration, more than 250 mph top speed, and a claimed range around 620 miles from a roughly 200 kWh battery pack. Since then, Elon Musk has consistently mentioned the next-gen Roadster during earnings conference calls and media interviews without adding much detail.

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