Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) delayed the next-gen Roadster unveiling to October 15. Hopefully, this is the last time fans and enthusiasts are kept from seeing the next-gen Tesla Roadster.
When was the last time you heard a car unveiling event get delayed because of high winds? I bet never before.
As dramatic as the unveiling-date extension was, a new patent filing on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website has made it even more interesting.
This new patent obtained by Tesla is named ‘Electric Fan Car’. The diagrams in this patent filing show 4 duct fans throwing air backward to increase the downforce for better stability at higher speeds.
The teaser image that Tesla released last month showed four white plumes spurting upward. Tesla did a good job hiding the next-gen Roadster’s design details in this teaser.
According to the Tesla Community, the automaker also flipped the image vertically to make it more confusing. However, after flipping it back 180 degrees, the teaser starts to make sense (see image below).
Guess what? Musk promised us SpaceX cold gas thrusters for ~1-second 0-60 mph acceleration, not ducted fans for downforce and improved handling.
The ‘Electric Fan Car’ Patent
According to the USPTO, Tesla filed for this patent on January 17, 2024, and it was granted on September 29, 2026. Tesla received this patent just two days before the original unveiling of the Tesla Roadster.
Tesla’s ‘Electric Fan Car’ patent is registered with the USPTO under the number US 12,746,987 B1. The following diagram (Figure 1 in the filing document / PDF below) shows the airflow path from underneath the vehicle.
The Abstract summarizes the purpose of the patent as:
ABSTRACT (US 12,746,987 B1)
An electric vehicle comprising a ducted fan system configured to increase downforce and reduce drag. The ducted fan system can include a diffuser extending from an input on an underbody of the vehicle and to an outlet on a rear side of
the vehicle. The ducted fan system can be connected to a high voltage battery and a control system of the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle can further include a second diffuser to enhance downforce.
In my opinion, Tesla intentionally used the diagram of the now-discontinued Model S electric sedan for this patent.
If the automaker had used the new Roadster’s wired diagrams, the design would’ve leaked before the planned unveiling. And with the recent delay, it would’ve been a big spoiler.
But the big question still remains: is this patent actually intended for the next-gen Roadster? The final, most credible answer lies with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and he will reveal it on October 15 in Austin, Texas.
It’s totally possible that Musk regresses from the SpaceX thrusters narrative, but it will be a big disappointment for existing and potential customers.
In a teaser video last year, Tesla showed a fan running at high speeds. I suspected it was a Roadster fan, but the unveiling event was delayed indefinitely, so we never learned what the fan was.
This new patent offers a lot of clues (read Seti Park’s technical analysis of the patent on X). However, backing away from pressurized cold-gas thrusters will be a big setback for Tesla.
Patent PDF
Tesla Roadster Reservations and Pricing
Tesla Roadster has a long queue of reservation holders. The automaker took $50,000 deposits for the reservations after the original Roadster 2 reveal at the Tesla Semi unveiling event in 2017.
Although several reservation holders canceled over the last 9 years and went through a slow, lengthy refund process, many original reservation holders remain.
The original announced prices of the second-generation Roadster were:
- $250,000 for Founder Series
- $200,000 for the standard version
Last month, Tesla reopened the reservations with $50,000 deposits ($5k by credit card, $45K via bank wire). However, the automaker hasn’t listed any prices on the website.
Tesla will also reveal the new Roadster pricing at the upcoming unveiling event.
Tesla also had to give away around 80 Roadsters to Referral Program winners. The unveiling event should also clarify the company’s stance on this backlog.
Stay tuned for constant Tesla updates. Follow us on:
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Related Tesla Roadster News and Updates
- Tesla’s ‘Electric Fan Car’ patent makes Roadster unveiling even more dramatic
- Austin, Texas weather delays Tesla Roadster unveiling by 2 weeks
- Tesla Roadster’s teaser image shows firing SpaceX thrusters, final unveiling date is here, more
- Tesla to reportedly unveil the next-gen Roadster in August, with SpaceX thrusters of-course
- Musk hints at new Tesla Roadster unveiling date, “It will be a banger next-level,” he says
- Tesla teases a big launch on Tuesday, 10/7 — is it the new Roadster?
 makes the next-gen Roadster's unveiling event even more dramatic. SpaceX thrusters replaced with air fans? Know what could happen at the unveiling.){kind=link}