Tesla's Roadster Prototype On Display Now at the Petersen Museum

It's very choice

Elon “Technoking of Tesla” Musk has been brewing up a very hot cup of coffee for the hypercar crowd that has us all as elated as we are apprehensive. Coming in hot with a 0-60 time of 1.9 seconds (or 1.1 seconds with the SpaceX package) is the second-gen Roadster Prototype at L.A.’s Petersen Automotive Museum. The car is stunning in person and pictures/video just cannot fully convey the beauty in its simplicity of design. 

Just take it from Terry Karges, executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum, “the addition of the Tesla Roadster prototype is an astonishing reminder of how far Tesla has come as an electric vehicle powerhouse. Guests will be able to see and compare the new Roadster to the original and experience the decade-long progression of the brand.” 

A long way in a short time

The pre-production Roadster is parked on the second floor as part of the museum's “Building An Electric Future” exhibit. The second-gen model will be there from May 19th to June 11th with advanced reservations required for entry. You may recall that the Petersen also played host to the stainless steel Cybertruck just last year. The new Roadster is flanked by both the original Roadster prototype along with the Model S prototype so guests can see the progression of the automaker's vehicles in such a short time. 

>>Join the conversation about the 2022 Tesla Roadster right here in the Electric Vehicles Forums!

What's in there?

The interior of the Roadster features seating for two adults and two smaller individuals comfortably due to the aggressively angled roofline. Headroom is helped by a removable glass top which can be stowed in the trunk. Having an EV always means more stowing options, so owners will still have the frunk when the trunk is occupied with the roof. Staying true to Tesla's minimalist design aesthetic, the cabin is sparse save for a large touchscreen that runs waterfall style down the center of the console with a storage space at the bottom. 

Musk has previously suggested that there will be a variety of trim options coming that will be far and away from those on a base model spec. 

>>Join the conversation about the 2022 Tesla Roadster right here in the Electric Vehicles Forums!

Possible features

As for what tech features will be available for the infotainment system we can only look to the newest specs from the Model S Plaid and surmise what could carry over. Right off the bat, I'd bet a dogecoin that features such as Bluetooth streaming, FM radio, voice control, navigation, and other bits will be standard points. Sadly, there will most likely still be no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto capability but a more than robust multi-speaker sound system should be in place. Other things to expect from the Model S Plaid are an auxiliary audio input, Wi-Fi hotspot, smart device integration, and a navigation system with real-time traffic. No word yet on if The Witcher 3 will be playable on the system. 

>>Join the conversation about the 2022 Tesla Roadster right here in the Electric Vehicles Forums!

Jetsons tech

The Roadster is slated to arrive sometime in 2022 with a release candidate design drivable late this summer. Elon remarks that one of the delays for the sports car was the necessary development of the tri-motor system and advanced battery work. Those advancements give the car the amazing stats of a 250 mph top speed, 0-100 in 4.2 seconds, and a range of 621 miles on what could be a 200-kWh battery. Musk tweeted out to the world back in 2018 on how extra propulsion from the SpaceX package would further augment performance. "SpaceX option package for new Tesla Roadster will include ~10 small rocket thrusters arranged seamlessly around the car. These rocket engines dramatically improve acceleration, top speed, braking & cornering. Maybe they will even allow a Tesla to fly …" 

The YouTube channel Engineering Explained goes into depth on how this would actually work. 

>>Join the conversation about the 2022 Tesla Roadster right here in the Electric Vehicles Forums!

It's electrifying

As mentioned previously the Roadster base will sell for $200,00 with a limited-edition Founders Series going for $250,000, No details at the time of this article that spell out what those differences are between the two other than only 1000 Founders Series models will be produced. This piece will of course be updated when any new information becomes available on those options. 

In the meantime be sure to go check out the Petersen Automotive Museum while you still can to see the new Roadster before it's gone on June 11th! While you're there be sure to reserve a tour of the vault also because there are real automotive gems down there that any enthusiast would enjoy. 

>>Join the conversation about the 2022 Tesla Roadster right here in the Electric Vehicles Forums!