Tesla reopened $50,000 Roadster reservations. Here’s what the deposit actually gets you.
Tesla reopened reservations for the next-generation Roadster this week, and getting in line costs a lot more than a typical Tesla order.
What the deposit actually requires
Reserving a new Roadster takes a $50,000 total deposit, according to Electrek’s reporting on the reopened reservation page: $5,000 is charged to a credit card immediately and described as fully refundable, followed by a $45,000 wire transfer due within 10 days. The reservation isn’t final until that wire clears. Tesla has also teased design details ahead of the reveal, including angular “Cyber” styling and a full-width light bar borrowed from the robotaxi and Cybertruck.
Worth knowing before you wire $45,000
This isn’t Tesla’s first time collecting $50,000 Roadster deposits. Tesla first took the same $50,000 deposit back in November 2017, promising production by 2020. Electrek’s reporting notes the original Roadster has since been delayed at least eight times, and those 2017 reservation holders still haven’t received a single car nearly nine years later. Tesla says it will announce pricing, specs, and production targets at the October 1 unveiling event near Waco, Texas — none of which is locked in yet for anyone reserving today. Elon Musk has also pointed to a stunt demonstration involving SpaceX-designed cold gas thrusters at the reveal, though Tesla hasn’t said whether that feature will ship on production cars or stay a one-off demo.
One creator’s take on the teasers
Kim Java, who covers EV ownership from a beginner-friendly angle, posted a video on September 17, 2026 walking through the design clues Tesla has released so far.
Her video is one person’s read on teaser images Tesla has put out, not a confirmed spec — Tesla hasn’t published pricing or a delivery date, and the reservation terms and delay history above are the facts to weigh before putting down a deposit.
Photo by Animesh Srivastava.
Photo by Animesh Srivastava.