Tesla has opened UAE reservations for its new Roadster, asking Dh210,000 for the Performance version and Dh1.02 million for the Thrust. However, its own reservation agreement states that no delivery date is offered, implied or guaranteed.
What has Tesla actually put on sale?
The Roadster now appears under the Vehicles section of Tesla’s UAE website, with a Reserve Now button. Elon Musk unveiled the car last week at a demonstration in Texas. Buyers can choose between two versions online. A third, more extreme model is also listed, although it’s available by invitation only.
The headline figures are reservation sums. Tesla says it’s still working on the car’s options, features and hardware. As a result, it can’t confirm a purchase price yet. The final figure will emerge once customers configure their cars.
How much do the two versions cost to reserve?
Tesla labels the Performance model “road ready”. It’s a two-seater with active aerodynamics and a multi-mode suction system, which Tesla says improves grip and handling. To reserve one, buyers pay Dh20,000 upfront, which Tesla describes as fully refundable. They then pay a further Dh190,000 within 10 days, bringing the total to Dh210,000.
The Thrust model, meanwhile, carries a “race ready” label and is a limited release. It adds acceleration thrusters to the Performance specification. Tesla claims these push the car from 0 to 100km/h in under one second. That figure is a manufacturer claim, and no independent test has confirmed it. The upfront Dh20,000 payment is again marked as refundable. However, a further Dh1 million follows within 10 days, so the reservation totals Dh1.02 million. Because supply is limited, Tesla allows only one Thrust reservation per customer.
The reservation details don’t include range, power output or charging speeds for either version. So buyers are committing large sums before seeing the figures most EV shoppers would compare first.
What does a reservation actually secure?
The fine print is important here. Under the reservation agreement, UAE Roadster bookings only become effective once Tesla receives the full sum, including the 10-day balance. Tesla must then confirm it by email.
Even then, a reservation doesn’t count as an order or a purchase. It simply secures an approximate place in the queue. Later, closer to production, Tesla will invite buyers to configure their cars and complete the sale. If the deal goes ahead, Tesla deducts the full reservation payment from the final price.
What is the invite-only Rocket?
Tesla calls the third version the Rocket and describes it as “air ready”. It’s a single-seater that combines the other two versions’ features with what Tesla calls a “full flight system”.
The Thrust’s thrusters sit at the rear. By contrast, the Rocket uses cold-gas thrusters placed around the body. Tesla says they let the car accelerate upwards and forwards, and rotate sideways while airborne. The thrusters also make tiny corrections in fractions of a second to keep the car stable in flight. Tesla’s own description ends bluntly: “So yes, it can fly.” These are company claims, and nobody has verified them independently.
Still, money alone won’t buy one. Tesla marks the Rocket “Invite Only” and lists no reservation amount. It also states that the Rocket isn’t approved for public roads. In addition, Tesla doesn’t offer the configuration in all regions, and local laws and regulations govern where it’s available.
When will buyers get their cars?
Nobody knows, and Tesla says so plainly. Its agreement admits the Roadster is still under development, “so we cannot guarantee when your vehicle will actually be delivered.” It adds that “no delivery date is offered, implied or guaranteed,” and that Tesla accepts no liability for delays.
Musk has said production of the redesigned Roadster will start in 2028. However, Tesla hasn’t announced when deliveries will begin.
That uncertainty has a long history. Tesla first revealed the second-generation Roadster in 2017, and it has been among the company’s most eagerly awaited models ever since. For now, UAE buyers can lock in a place with a Dh20,000 first payment that Tesla calls refundable. After that, though, they’ll need to decide whether a much larger balance is worth paying for a car with no confirmed price or delivery date.
